FoosTalk Live | Ep 218 | Mike Green Returns!

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[00:02:02] Well hey there, it's Tom Robinson.

[00:02:05] Welcome once again to FoosTalk Live.

[00:02:07] And we're live once again this week for episode number 218.

[00:02:13] And yeah, it's the usual routine.

[00:02:16] We're definitely going to be talking about foosball tonight.

[00:02:18] Although the person I'm normally speaking with at this point would be a guy who's on the road.

[00:02:23] Randy Rapozo has been spending time with his homies back in New England.

[00:02:28] With Fall River Massachusetts at Don Carlos Social Club where they had a great tournament yesterday.

[00:02:35] And congratulations to Randy on one of his victories.

[00:02:38] Anyway, he'll be back one of these days.

[00:02:40] At any rate, in the meantime, I am more than happy to have someone back in the fold.

[00:02:46] Someone that, well the last time we saw each other was way back when during Memorial Day weekend.

[00:02:51] The ITSF World Series of Tornado.

[00:02:55] Let's welcome back to the show Mike Green.

[00:02:57] Hello Mike.

[00:02:59] What's happening Tom?

[00:03:01] What's going on man? This is great like old.

[00:03:03] The last time we were together we got in trouble for being rowdy.

[00:03:06] That's right. We got shushed.

[00:03:08] With Donald Wilson of all people, right?

[00:03:10] We got shushed. Of all things.

[00:03:12] I thought we were in Europe.

[00:03:14] Well I guess it was their turn of it right?

[00:03:16] It was a great turnout and things were different.

[00:03:20] I have to say that weekend in Texas was definitely unique.

[00:03:24] And I have to say I really would do that again and again and again and again.

[00:03:29] Really enjoyed that time.

[00:03:31] By the way, we haven't had a real chance to talk about that at length about how you did and how you felt about the whole weekend.

[00:03:39] What say you about that?

[00:03:41] Oh I thought the weekend was great.

[00:03:43] I mean anybody who missed out on that because they were maybe upset was you know was in Texas State which I understand.

[00:03:51] Everybody loves Texas State.

[00:03:53] But I mean for Murray, Steve Murray, I always say Murray.

[00:03:57] Steve Murray and the old dad.

[00:03:59] You know everybody involved.

[00:04:01] You know Jason Wicks and Donald.

[00:04:03] Everyone.

[00:04:05] Yeah.

[00:04:07] To be able to just have that tournament in the United States.

[00:04:11] You know and being like basically guaranteed there would be at least five more of them.

[00:04:17] Yeah.

[00:04:19] That's exciting.

[00:04:21] I mean it was just a different weekend.

[00:04:23] What I found funny was since they only had like what four events basically.

[00:04:27] It was kind of strange you could only play like one event but you couldn't have the same partner.

[00:04:33] I'm not even exactly sure.

[00:04:35] Well.

[00:04:37] I'm the worst in the world at reading you know what has to happen I just show up.

[00:04:41] Right.

[00:04:43] So they had each day there was four events and you could only play in one of those four events.

[00:04:47] So if let's say there was a mixed event and an open event you could only play in the open or the mixed and you couldn't play both.

[00:04:53] Which you know I get that.

[00:04:55] But like we did the over 63 seniors.

[00:04:59] And there was also I think the same day they might have had like nine or 10 people.

[00:05:03] I think the same day they might have had like oh I'm trying to think the other seniors maybe the over 50 seniors and I could only play in one event which which was perfectly fine.

[00:05:12] I had no no issue with that but I think that's essentially that the European style.

[00:05:17] So what they're doing is they're they're making sure there's no conflicts between the different events.

[00:05:22] So all those events can happen simultaneously.

[00:05:25] So you've got of course we started playing what 10 o'clock in the morning.

[00:05:29] There was a break at two o'clock for lunch came back at three everybody started playing again but this time to to qualify to get into the finals.

[00:05:37] And you got at least five rounds you know every time you played which again I mean you know that's a that's a lot of foosball.

[00:05:46] Oh no I thought it was great.

[00:05:48] My problem was I didn't realize when I was I played with Tom Yoran open and I was going to play with somebody else a pro.

[00:05:57] But you could I don't remember exactly maybe expert whatever it was they had to both at the same you can play both right.

[00:06:03] It was totally my fault. I had no idea.

[00:06:06] You know because I don't pay attention enough.

[00:06:09] So I take the heat for that but no as far as the tournament which was a blast.

[00:06:15] I was funny to Americanize it a little bit.

[00:06:18] They actually had a draw at the end of the night because they knew we were we could go to bed that early.

[00:06:23] That was the best.

[00:06:24] Well I mean everybody was the regular events were done at 1030 1030 quarter 11.

[00:06:30] So the well shall we say the bar there in the front of the hotel got filled up very quickly right around that time.

[00:06:38] Oh yeah that was there's like there's been documents been on social media.

[00:06:43] I saw a lot of people's faces were blacked out though so you couldn't was it OK.

[00:06:49] Some people were but yeah it was fun.

[00:06:52] I would have to say that was one of the most fun crazy bar scene I've ever seen where 150 people show up and they're doing karaoke.

[00:07:02] They're break dancing.

[00:07:03] They're doing rock paper scissors for money.

[00:07:05] Yes.

[00:07:07] Yes.

[00:07:08] And it was just great because one was Brandon Munoz and the other was Jake Barnett.

[00:07:13] They were Jake.

[00:07:14] Yeah.

[00:07:15] He was so into it.

[00:07:16] He was just like he's good at hanging out with a bunch of old rednecks I love from Texas.

[00:07:21] I haven't seen in years.

[00:07:22] Ronnie Joyner OK.

[00:07:23] We had a blast.

[00:07:24] Yeah we had a lot of fun.

[00:07:25] No that's that's a great scene no matter what when it comes to foosball Texas.

[00:07:29] I mean Dallas of course is the heart of it all.

[00:07:32] I mean Houston's got a great scene and so does Austin but Dallas that's the place.

[00:07:36] Oh yeah.

[00:07:37] Marino's out of throw a party.

[00:07:38] Oh my goodness.

[00:07:39] He made it very clear to the bartender who was in charge there.

[00:07:42] That would be the end of it.

[00:07:45] Yeah it's good.

[00:07:46] But you know what was really funny was they had the they had the pit tables on the other side because they had the big you know what do you call it the front where they all sit and run the tournament.

[00:07:59] Yep.

[00:08:00] And behind it I didn't even realize there were tables behind it.

[00:08:03] Oh probably the first day because I never made it that far.

[00:08:06] Oh you mean the pit tables the pit tables were behind.

[00:08:08] Yeah I didn't even realize the pit tables were back there.

[00:08:11] And dude.

[00:08:12] But yeah it was a great tournament I played with Tom Yorr and it's funny people always think that I sponsor Tom so right.

[00:08:20] I don't sponsor Tom he just loves me and we have fun together.

[00:08:25] Tom Yorr.

[00:08:26] Let's let's talk about Tom Yorr briefly because I'm actually playing with his son next weekend at a regional tournament called the Smashdown.

[00:08:35] And but Tom's going to be there so I'm a little baffled do you have any inside information as to why Tom and Tommy are not playing together.

[00:08:44] Well actually it was one of those I'm not allowed I think Tom told me I couldn't say this but who cares.

[00:08:50] It was one of those 4 a.m.

[00:08:53] You know you're in your hotel room and you've got to be up at like five hours of play but it's just you.

[00:08:58] You have maybe a little too much fun you don't really want to go to sleep.

[00:09:02] So Tommy comes in and then we're talking and then Tom comes in he goes oh yeah Nino said that the way once you play with Sammy.

[00:09:13] And he goes well I haven't even talked to.

[00:09:16] Tommy yet I mean we may be playing because well no he I didn't realize that in Tom Robinson is very important in the state of New York because they call him TR there.

[00:09:28] He's like I'm playing with TR and I'm like who's TR and he goes oh I thought you knew him you were on the show Tom Robinson I go oh I'm sorry you know most people have initials you know.

[00:09:39] I guess Tom's real famous but anyway we're all laughing and I know Tom you're he's just looking at this puzzle look on his face he goes you didn't even bother to ask me.

[00:09:52] He goes no I already talked to TR and we're set so you know you and Sammy will do fine and he looks at me and he's like and he looks at Tommy goes.

[00:10:02] So I love Tom Robinson but I've been playing longer than him.

[00:10:05] He's like listen it's subtle okay.

[00:10:10] And he looks at me and he goes can you believe this I go well you know Tommy's a smart kid Tom you know he waited out he figured what's his best options and who could he play best with.

[00:10:21] TR took over.

[00:10:23] Wow.

[00:10:25] And he goes all right you know he throws something I don't know what it was he called a flag a flag on display.

[00:10:32] As a crazy crazy conversation went on it was hilarious because Tom we're just having fun you know that's great in the top viewer says you think Tom Robinson woke up in the middle of the night going.

[00:10:46] I had the strangest feeling that there's three masters or at least X master two masters and talking about him right now and I said yeah well the funny part was that night I had this dream.

[00:10:59] That you and Tommy were playing Tom and you were totally Diaz you were the pants the timeouts mocking Tom and I woke up and told him that like the next morning we're all dialed.

[00:11:11] This is this could turn out to be a very interesting weekend I have to say and you know I've never had my my initials taken in vain before like this.

[00:11:23] So well we had no idea you know we didn't realize the importance of you know TR you know we just knew you as Tom but I guess your close friends know you as TR.

[00:11:34] It's okay and I had nothing to do with it just that's just I blame Nino Nino Dijon and he and I you know we worked together really early on with Foosball radio and I think it was right around that time he started calling me TR.

[00:11:49] So anyway but well I digress.

[00:11:52] So anyway there was a lot more to that story than that but I did sign a waiver that I would not say anymore because it was actually a lot funnier and it was a lot.

[00:12:03] This would die it's like you know now the lights are out everybody's trying to go to sleep in the room and you hear Tom going alright let's go through this one more time.

[00:12:14] He couldn't drop it now you got me worried I mean if you know when Tom walks in.

[00:12:18] He's coming to prove his worth again to me and his son because we thought we thought it was a good choice.

[00:12:24] Okay so all right so we got to stop everything now and you got to tell me okay how do I block Tom Yorr.

[00:12:30] Well maybe he's so aggravated at this point it won't matter.

[00:12:36] No it was all the fun you know but anyway we're laughing about it.

[00:12:40] We're still laughed about it.

[00:12:41] We were laughing about the next day when Tom was playing something I remember and I go man that guy's blocking you like Tom's going to block you.

[00:12:49] I mean TR or anything.

[00:12:51] So there's trash talking going on I'm not even part of it yet so okay.

[00:12:57] You were there in spirit.

[00:12:59] You know this is a very nice thing.

[00:13:01] We were there in spirit too.

[00:13:03] I'll give that much of what needs it.

[00:13:05] This is it.

[00:13:06] I'm never going to get invited to the Yorr house for Thanksgiving.

[00:13:09] That's all there is to it.

[00:13:11] You know that could be true.

[00:13:13] Yeah.

[00:13:15] But anyway it was like that.

[00:13:17] That wasn't where we had Ohio State.

[00:13:19] Yeah.

[00:13:21] Tell me about Ohio.

[00:13:23] I just have to say real quick about Murray you know even though there were so many people involved I mean Murray still walking around you know.

[00:13:29] Yep.

[00:13:31] A little more relaxed than usual but I mean everything was run perfect.

[00:13:34] It was.

[00:13:36] It was a great time by that permit to watch Tommy and the young kid who I don't know his name.

[00:13:43] That's been Stefan and played the finals of singles and just seeing them in that was like watching you know that's what football is all about the youth the future.

[00:13:54] And that was just one of the best singles matches.

[00:13:58] I mean the kid had just beat you know Tony and Ryan.

[00:14:02] Yeah.

[00:14:03] That was crazy.

[00:14:05] Tommy was just not no nonsense he was going in and I told Tommy that he's played all the matches I've been around for a long time and he's played probably three of my top 10 matches I've ever seen.

[00:14:19] Really.

[00:14:20] They're all in Texas.

[00:14:22] Yeah.

[00:14:24] The year that he played Brand New New New beat Tony in the final.

[00:14:28] Beat Tony in that.

[00:14:29] I mean that kid he just went cyborg.

[00:14:33] He did he did.

[00:14:35] I've never seen anybody concentrate and just play that hard and perfect.

[00:14:39] Oh it was extraordinary you know shot for shot ball for ball.

[00:14:43] Tommy your just turned on the switch man.

[00:14:46] I mean it just and this kid Stefan like you say was rolling over everybody else.

[00:14:51] Everybody.

[00:14:53] Yeah just extra.

[00:14:54] When Tommy played him it was just like man was like a shark.

[00:14:56] Blood every time is the more that he started getting on this kid.

[00:15:01] I mean he just started up at a notch.

[00:15:04] I don't know if I ever seen anybody play that right.

[00:15:07] Consistent it was just unbelievable.

[00:15:09] I mean that kid was like already a world champion in this country.

[00:15:12] Oh I know I mean that was the thing I mean 17 years of age and he's already dominating in his own home country in Austria and of course Germany is just you know he's top top notch.

[00:15:20] And then he you know and this is a perfect time for him to come over with the ITSF to show his stuff and wow what a showcase.

[00:15:29] May all those guys were good.

[00:15:31] Yeah.

[00:15:33] In fact I mean I have to say my favorite part of the weekend was in the knockout rounds.

[00:15:37] Me and Tom had a great knock I mean not knock out but qualifiers.

[00:15:40] Qualifiers yeah.

[00:15:42] We went 4-1 in the qualifiers.

[00:15:44] Okay.

[00:15:45] And but my favorite was we actually played this guy named Mark Torres.

[00:15:51] Oh Mark.

[00:15:53] And he was playing with a guy from Germany.

[00:15:55] I think I know who that is.

[00:15:57] Have we have we ever been introduced to Mark.

[00:15:59] I don't remember.

[00:16:01] You probably wouldn't remember if you were but anyway.

[00:16:03] All right.

[00:16:05] Apparently the guy the guy beat he's supposed to be like a German I guess a champion.

[00:16:10] I don't know but anyway good player.

[00:16:12] He's not well me and Torres is always talking about if I ever play you in a match.

[00:16:20] Well we beat him like a drum.

[00:16:24] Oh boy.

[00:16:26] His partner in Germany tried to say I'm not I'll take one while you cover the other one.

[00:16:31] I think I hit like eight banks on him.

[00:16:33] Oh but the guy had a great sense of humor.

[00:16:35] We were having fun.

[00:16:37] He's like that would happen in Germany.

[00:16:38] I said sir if people leave shots like that over in Germany I'm moving to Germany.

[00:16:43] I'm back baby.

[00:16:45] You know we're all laughing.

[00:16:47] He was giving me a hard time.

[00:16:49] I love it.

[00:16:51] But no it was a lot of fun.

[00:16:53] It was you know he did really good.

[00:16:55] The Italian made it to the knockouts won our first round.

[00:16:57] Excellent.

[00:16:59] Had to play Ryan Moore you know and of course.

[00:17:01] And fifth game I mean a guy where you know Ryan's hilarious.

[00:17:06] No he's he's he's one of the greatest showmen on the table right now.

[00:17:11] Well I was started blocking Kane good in the fifth game in the fourth game.

[00:17:17] He kept saying careful back there.

[00:17:19] Let him have a couple because I'm coming up.

[00:17:22] You know we're just laughing going back and forth anyway.

[00:17:26] We had a great match and had a chance to beat him in the fifth and didn't.

[00:17:29] But I mean everybody's got that story right.

[00:17:31] Yeah yeah well I mean you and you and Tom as a team I mean you can go to the

[00:17:36] toe to toe with anybody.

[00:17:38] Plain and simple.

[00:17:40] You know I mean honestly the only people we lost to you know up to that point were either Brandon Ryan or Tony.

[00:17:48] Yeah.

[00:17:50] People in that category but where you know we had Tony fifth game with a shot to put them away.

[00:17:55] But you know there's 10 million stories like that.

[00:17:57] You know what I mean.

[00:17:59] Oh yeah of course with a shot to put them away.

[00:18:01] Did you win.

[00:18:03] Well I think that there's something to be said for for consistency and experience.

[00:18:10] And you both have that in space.

[00:18:12] Tom and me have known each other for so long even my dumbest mistakes I make he knows what I'm going to do.

[00:18:16] So he knows where the ball is going.

[00:18:18] But I got to tell you the one who was the awesomest I don't know if that's the word awesomest the most awesome guy in Texas because you know Murray he was given a speech at the end and of course you know Murray is going to get upset.

[00:18:32] I mean he's going to be in the

[00:18:37] But he was even you know he got you know even about his crew that does the work every year.

[00:18:43] You know and I'm here to testify to that.

[00:18:46] We were being you were told earlier that we had to play our first round of knockouts in my glasses.

[00:18:52] And I'm sitting there I mean I'm bummed the guy goes hey Mike you're right I go.

[00:18:56] No I can't see.

[00:18:58] He goes why I thought he was giving those glasses.

[00:19:00] I don't even know what it is.

[00:19:02] I mean you know one Christmas my family gave me a set of tools for Christmas and they all laugh for two hours.

[00:19:07] I mean does it have good eye on with tools.

[00:19:09] Yeah yeah got it.

[00:19:11] He starts doing this and also he fixes this thing.

[00:19:13] You fix your glass.

[00:19:15] Well I'm so dumb I grab my glasses to stick them in my pocket right as we go to play Ryan Moore the knockout rounds.

[00:19:21] And I go oh no and I pull another broke and the guy did it twice.

[00:19:24] I mean the guy is buying everything and like did this you know.

[00:19:28] And I mean I just was like that's a nice guy.

[00:19:31] That's it.

[00:19:33] Oh yeah.

[00:19:35] You know Murray talks so highly of all the people who've been with him so long you know doing that kind of stuff.

[00:19:39] He's he's you know Steve Murray is experienced as a promoter like nobody else.

[00:19:46] You know there's I mean obviously Mary Moore has been out at very very long time but Steve just has this extra something.

[00:19:52] He's he's so intense about making sure that everybody has a good time and he goes to great.

[00:19:59] The fourth thing I think you know he sits there with one of those EKG things on just because he can't sleep he can't rest.

[00:20:07] Yeah everything has to be perfect.

[00:20:09] Yeah.

[00:20:11] You know anybody has a chance to go to the next one they have.

[00:20:14] I mean they got to get this whole thing out of their head of you know all it's a Swiss.

[00:20:18] Well that's it.

[00:20:20] That's it.

[00:20:21] That's different.

[00:20:23] And I have to say for for Reed Loanis and of course his crew those guys spent a lot of money to bring their their rig across the pond.

[00:20:32] And when they set it up from what I understand this was there you know this is kind of like their B level setup because they have much larger spaces in Europe.

[00:20:42] But this was top notch man.

[00:20:44] I mean the stage with the with the pit tables.

[00:20:48] Wow.

[00:20:49] That was well I know there were some comments that you know some people were standing there and talking to you know they were like you know the turnout is kind of like you know and he goes this is perfect.

[00:21:00] Great.

[00:21:01] Yep. Good test.

[00:21:02] You know we're not looking for a thousand people show up in a room.

[00:21:05] I don't run these permits for days and days and also yeah that was definitely a lot of fun.

[00:21:11] I mean the way the whole thing ended and yeah I'd go back in a heartbeat.

[00:21:17] No matter where it's at.

[00:21:18] Oh yeah. No question.

[00:21:19] Those guys from over there that for Reed or for Reed Loanis.

[00:21:23] Yeah I mean it was just a perfectly ran permit on all sides.

[00:21:27] And the guys that did most of the work behind the scenes that we're talking about the cameras camera angles the way it was streamed and of course Jim Stevens was there which certainly wasn't a bad deal.

[00:21:40] Yeah.

[00:21:41] Jim doing his thing with a combination of what they brought to the table as far as their technology is concerned.

[00:21:47] Wow. The coverage was.

[00:21:49] Oh yeah I mean I felt like I was over in another country you know you got Jim Stevens coming in doing his thing you got the other guys you know just the whole mixture of seeing all the Germans you know the young Germans running around and they're all playing great.

[00:22:03] Yeah it was a lot of fun.

[00:22:05] Shout out to Julian and Daniel they got a chance to sit down with us at the end.

[00:22:09] We talked a long time about what they what they had to do to get all that stuff there and the kind of money they spent just just to do it just to do it.

[00:22:18] They did it.

[00:22:20] That to me is commitment.

[00:22:22] They're definitely doing the right thing.

[00:22:25] Now obviously they'll come back when that's going to be.

[00:22:29] Who's to say.

[00:22:31] Yeah well you know and I also think it'll be more people will probably come because you know it's hard to tell people that you're going to cancel Texas State.

[00:22:41] Hmm.

[00:22:43] You know that right there's like you know that's top notch you know that's.

[00:22:46] Well it's going to continue I mean Steve tried to make that very clear.

[00:22:50] Oh yeah.

[00:22:51] Yep that's Texas State is not going away.

[00:22:54] It's coming back you know but the calendar is so jam packed now with great tournaments like.

[00:23:00] Yeah.

[00:23:01] Okay.

[00:23:03] When.

[00:23:05] We were just we were talking about earlier I mean like I just went to the beat down.

[00:23:09] Mm hmm.

[00:23:11] And I was telling you I was amazed there were almost 100 players there no masters and they were like two pros in the building.

[00:23:18] Wow.

[00:23:19] All of that local Florida amateur expert you know rookie support.

[00:23:25] Yes.

[00:23:26] And you know people definitely come from other places but I mean the front of it was there I mean South Florida.

[00:23:32] I say every time I come on here they do they do just a credible job of how they.

[00:23:37] Oh yeah.

[00:23:38] Got all these lower ranked players playing the game and.

[00:23:42] They had some great they bought their own equipment.

[00:23:45] Mm hmm.

[00:23:46] And it's super nice.

[00:23:47] Cool.

[00:23:48] There were some problems.

[00:23:49] Unfortunately it was the first tournament.

[00:23:51] Okay.

[00:23:52] I think I talked for six and a half hours and nobody heard me.

[00:23:54] Okay.

[00:23:55] So you're doing something by playing maybe you're playing play by play.

[00:23:59] Yeah so of course I mean I had a great time I had Tom or Mike you or I had a ton of people on here.

[00:24:06] Okay.

[00:24:07] Having a blast but unfortunately we're the only ones.

[00:24:09] Oh.

[00:24:10] Got to hear it.

[00:24:11] Was it recorded elsewhere I mean did somebody put it on a hard drive or something.

[00:24:14] I really don't know.

[00:24:15] I just know I was like you didn't record I go hey you guys stuck me back here put headphones on all I was supposed to do was talk.

[00:24:23] There you go.

[00:24:24] You know that's all you guys.

[00:24:26] You can do that.

[00:24:27] All I saw was a bunch of lights blinking out like you know I did my thing.

[00:24:33] But no that was a lot of fun I mean you know those guys like they just put on an awesome weekend.

[00:24:37] Of course they have their Sunday go to the beach for brunch and.

[00:24:40] Right.

[00:24:41] The whole nine yards.

[00:24:42] Great tradition there yeah.

[00:24:44] That's and again they have a very good they have very good timing so they have that opportunity for people just to chill and relax you know in the morning and do things like that rather.

[00:24:54] Yes the least serious food ball tournament you've ever seen.

[00:24:58] Yeah.

[00:24:59] I bring decent money you know.

[00:25:01] Unfortunately though it was the same weekend as Mississippi State.

[00:25:06] Yeah.

[00:25:08] Yeah.

[00:25:09] And not that anybody was you know try to step on anybody at all.

[00:25:14] I mean they'd already actually you know had the beat down.

[00:25:20] Mm hmm.

[00:25:21] But unfortunately because they had to change the date.

[00:25:23] Right.

[00:25:24] Yeah things like that happen.

[00:25:26] Yeah and then when Donald finally got a date he's like sorry guys.

[00:25:30] I mean.

[00:25:31] Got to do it.

[00:25:32] It was the same weekend.

[00:25:33] You know.

[00:25:34] Yeah.

[00:25:35] I was going to go to Mississippi State and.

[00:25:38] You know hang out at the tournament have some fun but.

[00:25:40] Mm hmm.

[00:25:41] You know it all worked out well everybody was happy.

[00:25:43] So I think you know and we talked about this recently too it's like OK we've got so many great tournaments and so many really desirable places to go to play foosball now.

[00:25:54] The calendar is going to becoming much much much more crucial now it's like you have to set it up well in advance so nobody's stepping on each other's toes and whether that's even possible.

[00:26:05] Well yeah I got you know I was saying that earlier that the problem also is just booking a hotel.

[00:26:11] Yeah.

[00:26:12] Mm hmm.

[00:26:13] I mean they've since you know COVID's over and they're trying to make their money back and as Barry said you know they want to double the prices.

[00:26:19] Right.

[00:26:20] You know I mean look at Ohio State went through it for months and months.

[00:26:24] And they finally got one set up and then the people last minute said no we're canceling you or bringing somebody else in.

[00:26:29] Unbelievable.

[00:26:30] Unbelievable.

[00:26:31] Oh yeah.

[00:26:32] That's another thing.

[00:26:33] It's like OK you can have this weekend well that won't work well it's all I got.

[00:26:38] I mean and you think about a good tournament you've got to promote it probably six months out.

[00:26:43] You're going to let people know that it's happening and to get get you know even even further out even even eight months out.

[00:26:50] You've got to make sure the people are aware when it's happening the weekend because everybody needs to make plans.

[00:26:54] You've got to book flights you've got to get the hotel rooms and of course you know making sure you've gotten the weekend off like me to actually get there.

[00:27:02] So it's a it's a tough go and I grant I grant you that they're hopefully we can we can find a new system to make that easier for everybody.

[00:27:11] Yeah well I tell you what the following weekend was in Ohio.

[00:27:17] Yes.

[00:27:18] So we can have later whatever.

[00:27:19] Let's chat about Ohio.

[00:27:20] I was there.

[00:27:21] Yeah.

[00:27:23] Really good turn it was a blast.

[00:27:25] It was an absolute blast their first tournament in like 12 years they had 181 players show up and like 12 Masters 20 something pros.

[00:27:36] Wow.

[00:27:37] I mean guys coming out of the woodwork you know that were probably used to be pros are now experts or whatever.

[00:27:44] You know there was like I think there want to be in 48 teams and open.

[00:27:50] Yeah.

[00:27:51] Yeah.

[00:27:52] One of them was a dog fight.

[00:27:55] I mean I played Tom your with that one too.

[00:27:58] We were playing for fifth against them daggum Scots from New York.

[00:28:03] Yeah I saw that.

[00:28:06] Oh that's a match.

[00:28:09] They're a tough team they beat they had us down two games on quick.

[00:28:13] No kidding came back to the fifth game and Ramsey character did his usual.

[00:28:18] You know as Tony's freedom we used to say when your five rod is a little shaky and you missed your pass it's good because a lot of times it goes in the hole.

[00:28:26] Well he started out that fifth game with two of those and wow.

[00:28:31] But let me tell you some they those guys play as good as anybody in that match so I'm not sure.

[00:28:37] It doesn't away from my job the block that this slough I mean whatever.

[00:28:41] Yeah sure understood.

[00:28:43] I mean foosball's foosball stuff like that happens and you kind of have to go OK.

[00:28:47] That was a point let's move on.

[00:28:48] Let's go on to the next.

[00:28:49] Yeah and then I got to meet the Kevin.

[00:28:51] Oh my gosh I can't remember one brain dead right now.

[00:28:54] Are you talking about Kevin West?

[00:28:56] No Boston or mass or someone.

[00:28:58] Oh I think about who you know.

[00:29:01] Yeah.

[00:29:02] Yes something I can't say is Leslie Matt Contoy.

[00:29:07] No it's good talent.

[00:29:09] Oh Scalzi's Kevin Scalzi's.

[00:29:11] Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah.

[00:29:13] He's a great time.

[00:29:15] He's old school.

[00:29:16] Yeah he's old school man.

[00:29:17] He's been around for a long time.

[00:29:19] In fact he used to do a clinic here in the Albany area once a year he would go to the local college Hudson Valley community college and he would he would go in.

[00:29:28] There was a table there and he would he would actually promote himself in advance and he would do a clinic for the weekend for the for the students.

[00:29:35] Oh yeah he's quite the character.

[00:29:37] Oh yeah oh yeah yeah.

[00:29:39] Everybody loved him.

[00:29:40] He you know it was like I felt like I was in the 80s again.

[00:29:43] Trash talk was back.

[00:29:44] Oh yeah that's Kevin.

[00:29:45] He was having some fun.

[00:29:46] Everybody was enjoying and we're all having a good time.

[00:29:49] Yeah it was it was cool meeting him.

[00:29:51] Oh yeah.

[00:29:52] And again Matthew say his last name Tom.

[00:29:55] Contoy.

[00:29:56] Yeah Matthew Contoy.

[00:29:57] Contoy.

[00:29:58] Yep.

[00:29:59] What a great weekend.

[00:30:00] He wound up playing for he was I think he wound up getting fifth.

[00:30:04] Yep.

[00:30:05] And open and beat a lot of good teams and he is Tom actually beat him first round but there were two games with me ball.

[00:30:12] I mean they had a shot so it wasn't like I mean he's played.

[00:30:16] Good very good the whole weekend.

[00:30:18] Yeah Matt's fundamentals have become so so good so solid.

[00:30:24] He's he's so consistent and I still remember when Matt was coming to smashdowns and he was still playing in amateurs.

[00:30:30] And nine times out of 10 if he was playing the amateur division in our smashdown he'd usually walk away with the money.

[00:30:36] So that was and that was a couple of years ago and now look where he is.

[00:30:40] He's doing fantastic consistent when we when he was playing Tom on the five bar.

[00:30:46] I mean he was battling getting the ball.

[00:30:48] I mean it wasn't it was not it was a batch you weren't like going OK let's get this over with kind of thing.

[00:30:54] You know I mean the guy played incredible and.

[00:30:58] You know of course by he was awesome he got the money.

[00:31:01] Right.

[00:31:02] Oh man and great Tommy and Sammy in the finals.

[00:31:07] And you know everybody's like oh you know he played with Ryan.

[00:31:11] I remember he buys a top not he was a great player.

[00:31:14] Famer yeah and he played great he bought great.

[00:31:19] I mean he he played evenly with Ryan and they won that tournament together.

[00:31:24] There was no oh he played with Ryan Moore business going on there.

[00:31:27] No no no no Steve is he's a class act and he you know and Rick Pomeroy we were on the show recently.

[00:31:35] You know talking about the preparations they were making for Ohio State.

[00:31:39] I mean they they worked their tails off to make this happen.

[00:31:42] And Steve you know actually even though he was working hard that weekend played foosball and won.

[00:31:49] So oh yeah it was amazing.

[00:31:51] I got to see a lot of my old friends with the Hall of Fame Mark Van Etty.

[00:31:56] Mark Biny went in.

[00:31:58] Yep and Frank Garboe Leobie and him were partners on tour.

[00:32:02] Guy probably hasn't done he probably hasn't really played a tournament in 30 years for whatever maybe more really.

[00:32:08] Walks in start stroking dead bars.

[00:32:12] He's always been known for having like one of the fastest hardest pull shots on tour.

[00:32:15] I've heard that I've heard that about Frank.

[00:32:17] Yeah and he's like talking to me going you know boom I think you know I'm like why do you want to play.

[00:32:25] He goes no I can't chase these kids around.

[00:32:27] I'm old I got no shot and he's like got no shot.

[00:32:30] Kaboom yeah.

[00:32:33] Wow it was it was funny we had a lot of fun hanging out telling old you know a lot you know mostly lies but a few truths.

[00:32:39] Oh yeah.

[00:32:40] About the old days you know the older you are the better you get kind of thing you know.

[00:32:45] There's something to be said for that you know I mean you get the level of maturity you're no longer you know freaking out when you miss a miss a shot or miss a pass.

[00:32:55] I mean it's just like calm collected and deliberate.

[00:33:01] That's yeah you know what's funny though I mean Tommy and this is foosball how weird it is.

[00:33:07] So got Ramsey and Scott what is his last name.

[00:33:11] I can't remember how you too much.

[00:33:13] This is Scott Sweeting sweet.

[00:33:15] Oh why are these guys just call him Scott Scott.

[00:33:18] It's that's all you need to know Scott and Scott so we went hard at it you know five games with them and they played great and then the next round they play Tommy and Sammy.

[00:33:28] And it wasn't probably so much fun for yeah yeah.

[00:33:33] The next year then you get Tommy and Sammy you know they play Ryan and you know and trust me I know that's that's a match up that you go either way.

[00:33:44] But oh yeah you know they were just more on their game than Tommy and Sammy.

[00:33:49] I mean and well it just happens that way but it's funny how that works out this guy he's this thing looks great this they play this team they don't look so great that they you know anything can happen.

[00:33:59] I mean you think about back at the TKO and the beginning of the tour this year in Kentucky it was it was you know Sammy and Ryan going head to head in singles and Sammy almost beat him they went to final ball.

[00:34:13] Yeah.

[00:34:14] Fifth game so and of course Ryan was opening up from the two rods suddenly because he couldn't square he suddenly Sammy's D and him up on the three rods so he goes back to the two rod and just slams them.

[00:34:26] Oh yeah I mean it was funny because it was it was the opposite in doubles because trust me I'm not putting Sammy down whatsoever but Ryan was being Ryan that weekend he was you know and as good as Sammy's defense was it didn't matter.

[00:34:47] Yeah Ryan was just picking every hole and you know I mean executing.

[00:34:52] I don't know maybe he really wanted to win for Steve so you know because sometimes Ryan will mess around you know.

[00:34:57] Yeah yeah funsies.

[00:34:58] A little too much fun kind of thing but yeah he played he played incredible and well but I loved the venue it was actually a pavilion like a big tent.

[00:35:09] And I thought it was great because the AC in the place was ice cold you weren't ever sweating or never really wow you know and everybody enjoyed that part of it.

[00:35:21] You know I mean if anybody has a chance to go next year they got they definitely got to go support that firm that term is going to want to be in a big tournament if it keeps going and it should.

[00:35:32] Oh sure like a Texas State type of thing.

[00:35:34] Yep.

[00:35:35] They're century located and there were so many guys there that I haven't seen play football so many years and you know in that part of the country that showed up my old buddy Frank Kankowski was there and a lot of these guys anyway we're all there and yeah they put on a good tournament.

[00:35:54] Absolutely did Rick.

[00:35:56] Make sure everything was ran right.

[00:35:58] I mean you know by any body's being by any he's just people don't know by do they think he's serious the funniest human being whoever live right so body's being by any he's just making everybody laugh and everybody's enjoying herself.

[00:36:12] You've got to be you've got to be not just a great organizer you've got to be a great host.

[00:36:16] So yeah you're hosting 181 people that mean you've got to you got to be on your game but you know obviously he's he's he's got no issue there he's certainly he knows what he's doing.

[00:36:27] Yeah, I mean he hasn't even had you played yet they really cut the table hardly two years.

[00:36:32] No kidding.

[00:36:33] Yeah, and played at that level but it was also kind of a sad weekend because my buddy Frank got a little upset understand his our old buddy Kojak passed away right before the tournament.

[00:36:44] Yeah, I heard that.

[00:36:45] Kojak was the guy I mean he came he was in my house in Florida.

[00:36:49] I'm Frankie six times a year.

[00:36:51] Okay, we're in a Winnebago travel around the country and wow you know it was a bummer for that but you know it is what it is but yeah yeah well everybody you know everybody knows friend Kojak is the guy had the biggest heart in the world the biggest smile.

[00:37:07] Probably the nuttiest guy you ever met your life.

[00:37:09] No kidding.

[00:37:10] No kidding.

[00:37:11] You know what I mean.

[00:37:12] Yeah.

[00:37:14] Well, that's the unfortunate thing is that the foosball players the greats were all you know they're all human beings and yeah, you know you have to kind of understand that there's a certain X amount of, you know years of playing and X amount of years of life

[00:37:30] and well, you know, but not to get too too philosophical there but it is what it is and at least he had spent some great years on the table.

[00:37:39] So, grateful.

[00:37:41] Yeah, I can you know what.

[00:37:43] Yeah, I mean like I said we are for probably four years we were either together in a Winnebago together in a car together somewhere driving all around you know United States playing foosball I still think you guys need to get together and make a movie about that because

[00:37:57] or at least write a book or something because to me there's just the drama, the stories, all those things strung together. It could it could make for one entertaining you know either book or movie and or both.

[00:38:11] Well, the funny part is I'd have to do because none of those guys remember.

[00:38:16] Tell me another story I don't remember.

[00:38:18] Well, you know somebody who's a pretty famous author there in Florida, Eric Heltner, who's writing he's written what 23 novels now.

[00:38:32] So yeah well let me do my Eric imitation.

[00:38:40] Yeah, that's what he was mentioning.

[00:38:50] Yeah, they use them like as a character or that obviously you know using the name, but the personality favorite story of all I don't know if you remember once his first book was about him.

[00:39:00] And the person that was going to publish it said, Oh no this will never work this character so unlikable. Really, that nobody ever buy the book. Wow.

[00:39:09] That's hilarious like who's this, who is this person you basis on he goes me.

[00:39:15] Hey you know, I had a creative writing professor years ago in college who said to me, write about what you know.

[00:39:22] And that well you know they said Michael Jordan, you know he said on the bench so you know everybody doesn't get it right.

[00:39:30] Well, yeah, it's that story though that thing that you guys in the 70s 80s and early 90s there are so many I mean the the of course the Johnny Horton era.

[00:39:41] The era in which you all were were just, you know, well, shall we say dominating the scene.

[00:39:48] That would be fantastic.

[00:39:51] But we were dominating the scene but always wasn't for the best right now for the right reasons.

[00:39:59] But I'm wondering now what's going on in Florida because you know of course the the the beach town beatdown took place that was good.

[00:40:08] Now we've got Florida State and the, the Masters, the Masters Open is coming.

[00:40:13] Yeah.

[00:40:14] What's a little side note from last night they had a kind of one of these last minute things they say hey everybody come Saturday we're going to have a $50 team.

[00:40:24] Open doubles. Okay.

[00:40:27] Okay.

[00:40:29] Afternoon tournament started like at three they had an expert first and they had open doubles. Okay.

[00:40:35] Well we got there, the AC was not working.

[00:40:40] Do you remember been in August in Florida.

[00:40:43] No, yeah.

[00:40:45] You don't want to be you don't want to be without AC. I was sitting there like a boxer with ice back on my head. No kidding.

[00:40:52] Geez, I played with Tom if I had to play with Tom your I would have.

[00:40:56] I would have walked out I wouldn't have never played the tournament. Okay, you know what they want to be in fun. It was great Dylan Marshall and my buddy Alan why not winning and Alan Elmantra Mike to Pagda, and nice.

[00:41:08] Another buddy of ours got second and we got third being Tom and then Kane got four so it was a lot of good competition. Yeah, monster brain so we had a blast but I came home and I you know don't get this picture in your head but I like sit there in my chair with my underwear with my fan.

[00:41:25] And the air down to like 60 just like my wife's like what is wrong with you and I go no AC that's all I could say.

[00:41:33] Yeah, it's it's well it's called heat exhaustion. Yeah, it's a real deal man it's tough stuff. It's a it blows my mind I mean you hear about the temperatures in some parts of this country like Death Valley which has always been the hottest place on Earth, but it reached 130 degrees in Death Valley California.

[00:41:55] So, about three weeks ago I was at a tournament and where I live in St. Pete area.

[00:42:04] I left the bar at 1am.

[00:42:08] It was like 80% humidity to feel like temperature was 100 degrees.

[00:42:13] And when you're at 80% humidity 100 degrees in the middle of the night. Yep.

[00:42:18] It's like somebody pours hot water all over you.

[00:42:21] There's no relief. Yeah, yeah.

[00:42:24] I mean, but that's the good thing.

[00:42:27] Because it's September this year. Nice at the end of September so the weather will be better. Yep, sure. Yep. Be very enjoyable.

[00:42:35] It'll only be like 85 with 60 50% humidity which is like, totally fine when we're here. Yeah, totally fine.

[00:42:43] It seems to me, I mean that's when when places like Orlando are kicking butt because the heat is gone finally and people want to go on vacation still.

[00:42:53] Oh yeah, that's the best time to go.

[00:42:56] Oh yeah, and it's definitely a great time.

[00:43:00] And the first thing I have to say if anybody has any plans that hears us coming.

[00:43:05] Wednesday is the absolute last day to book your room. This one.

[00:43:09] This Wednesday. That's it. Okay.

[00:43:12] And, you know what, if anybody's been to a Florida State they know the hotels nice. Yep. I'm not putting down anybody's hotels but this is a nice hotel good hotel yeah yeah essentially located at two different airports once Tampa one St Peter both about 20 minute drive.

[00:43:28] Okay.

[00:43:29] You're about baby 10 miles eight miles to the beach.

[00:43:32] Nice go the opposite way you're about a mile and a half two miles from the intercoastal.

[00:43:37] And it's a lot of things going on there and then the first Thursday before the actually determined started Thursday but every year Rob Cato and Lindsay Albert.

[00:43:49] Everybody goes to the beach and has the free happy hour from two to six. Nice. So, anybody you don't have to be a master you don't have to be. You know what you come here playing in that tournament, and even my greens allowed out there so even my dream.

[00:44:04] You just go out there and everybody me. It's fun. There's a ton of people will be there all hanging out having drinks and order herbs or whatever so it's just a really fun experience before it ever starts.

[00:44:16] So, who are you playing with at the Masters.

[00:44:21] I don't know yet.

[00:44:22] Yeah.

[00:44:24] Yeah, I can't tell you why because well, I can tell you this much.

[00:44:29] I don't know if anybody who knows is who doesn't know this but you know we're having the Hall of Fame.

[00:44:36] Bob Diaz is going to this year and he's going to make this his first comeback for all fantastic.

[00:44:41] Oh, yes. Oh, yeah, he says he's definitely going to play in the tournament. So he's not just going to be there.

[00:44:48] You know to pick up his plaque and walk out whatever. Okay, he's totally looking forward to it. So I just say anybody the younger people that really never had a chance to see Bob play.

[00:44:59] Oh, and you know that's exciting. Believe me if Bob's playing.

[00:45:04] He's going to be on this table. Oh yeah, he's not coming unprepared so you know, and he's a really busy guy.

[00:45:13] I can't say who he's playing with yet because it's kind of a secret. Okay, anyway, maybe.

[00:45:19] But I don't know what just just tossing this out there maybe we get me get him to come on the show before the big, the big weekend. Yeah, I really I'm going to try that you know me okay I'll just show up at his house like a paparazzi.

[00:45:32] Yes, you're doing it.

[00:45:35] No, I know.

[00:45:36] You know what I mean actually I just really think you need to come to Florida State and bring your equipment and okay do it all right there and then they can't run from us.

[00:45:46] It's a there's, there is always that right can't be, of course, they could just stick us in the corner someplace and then disconnect our power. That would always be a thing but then yeah.

[00:45:59] No, it's gonna be a blast. Yeah. And like I said you know the whole thing just starting out like that it's such a good note everybody goes and hangs out. Yeah, like part of these people don't maybe they don't know Blake or they don't know Eric or whoever you know.

[00:46:14] And everybody's just hanging out having conversation introducing yourself to each other so that's always a lot of fun. And it's a really, and I hate to get too sentimental about this but it is really heartwarming when you go to a foosball tournament, and you're running into all these

[00:46:28] people that you may or may not, you know, be fully acquainted with and even if you have a couple seconds just to just to say hi and talk to them and I mean it's just a great feeling because it's all for the same reason.

[00:46:40] Everybody's there for the same purpose to play great foosball and then hang out and just let loose for a while and forget about life.

[00:46:49] I can't tell you how many times I go to a tournament and people personally had no idea that I played foosball but they're like oh you're Mike from foosball ready with Tom.

[00:46:59] Isn't that interesting? Okay. Yeah. Well, I mean you've done a lot of contributing along the way here. Some fantastic stories and some of the people you've brought with you have been, I mean, not the least of which Alan Montrone.

[00:47:16] I missed Alan. He's been missing action. Yeah, Alan was into it and life happens, you know what I mean? Right. Understood. Just working hard and doing what you got to do.

[00:47:28] Yeah. And both of you guys were just having so much fun together but it's like everything else, things change and times move on.

[00:47:38] I keep threatening Randy I'm coming back and I'm going to be on there with you two because I think I'd have a blast with you and Randy. Please do. I don't know if the world could take two guys as blunt as us though.

[00:47:47] Oh, I don't know. I mean, you know, we think about this. I mean Randy is my new best friend. I mean the guy's just great and I'm sad that I didn't know him back in the 90s when he was first starting, 90s and early 2000s when he first started out because he was so close by.

[00:48:04] And he played a lot in our local scene, but I didn't get back into the game until geez 2011. So I missed most of his early years. So getting to know him now is great and he's been a lot of fun.

[00:48:16] Oh yeah, he texts me and he's talking about a tournament. I asked him were you playing with a certain person once I won't mention that name. He goes, do you think I'd play with that guy? I'd play with you before I play with that guy.

[00:48:26] I love that. See, that's why I got it. He knows that's my sense of humor. Oh, of course. Of course. No, it's it takes a it's like birds of a feather right? And if you have if you take this too seriously, then I'm not sure why you'd be doing it. Right.

[00:48:45] I remember the first time I came on this show, I had this whole list of things that I thought I wanted to talk about. I don't think I got to one of them, but I had a blast. That's fine. Right. You know, I actually have a guy that I know he's my friend and I see him. I won't say where he's from because it give it away.

[00:49:01] And he's like, I'll be talking to somebody. And because people ask me about these stories, you know, right? So I'll start telling what you know, and he always walks in and goes, Oh, my greens. Telling a story ago. Be careful hurt your feelings because you can't hurt my feelings. I go at least I have a story.

[00:49:18] He goes, that hurt my feelings. Yeah, of course. But no anyway, so yeah, the Hall of Fame is going to be a lot of fun. Obviously. I mean, it's going to be, of course, Bobby Diaz and Wow. I mean, who? I mean, honestly, the first year they asked me who I thought should go in the Hall of Fame in Florida. And I said Tom, you're Bobby Diaz.

[00:49:47] Yeah, Bobby Diaz. They were my first two important and Horton. Of course. Well, I was fortunate enough. They said, well, no, because you and Horton and my buddy Jim Doomas, who was the sponsor that's probably responsible for, you know, a quarter of the titles ever brought to Florida. Yep.

[00:50:04] Yep. You know, he was there like, Oh, no, he was much more than that. Back then you ran, you sold tables, you ran the business, you sponsor people, you played. I mean, the guy was the full ticket, you know, absolutely deserved to go in. So, you know, Tom, you're said, No, you guys, you and Horton had to go in first, da da da da da. But you know, okay. I mean, if you look at, you know, you're looking at records. Oh, jeez. Yeah. Well, I mean, it's Bob. And it's also the second one, which is Liz Hill.

[00:50:34] Yeah. I don't know if she's from Florida, but she's actually a Tampa girl. Okay. She still tells a story about growing up playing us and how mean we were. Oh, I know. Yeah. Yeah. I've heard the story. If I, you know, maybe a drink or two here and there. I start hearing the.

[00:50:50] I'm like, Oh, you were mean to me. I go, no, we just treated you like a player. You were a player. Everybody got to know it. Equal. Let's put it this way. You guys were equal opportunity abusers. Oh, absolutely. Nobody was safe. There was no gender problem. It was like you were just in front of us. You want to play? You're going to play.

[00:51:11] We're still love each other because we are going to play. We are playing expert doubles at the Hall of Fame tournament together. Yes. Cool. Now, are you allowed to play experts? I mean, you're, you're considered a pro aren't you? Oh, no, I'm an expert. Oh, gotcha. Here I was thinking you were under that Mary more wing and this is not a dig on Mary at all. No, because I think she does an incredible job. Yep. But it takes so many years to fight term pro. I'm going to be an expert for the rest of my career. I'm going to be an expert for the rest of my career.

[00:51:41] Understood. Yeah, no, I hear you. Well, and we've talked about this till it's dead, you know, as far as the different rankings and how that works. And, you know, it's just there's so many rankings and it's hard to keep everything straight and the point system.

[00:51:56] Well, it came honestly with me. I decided that I'm not playing. I don't want to play in other events. I'll play over. Yeah. And it's not because I think I'm better than the pros or I'm better. No, half the experts out there are much better than me. But my point is, I mean, even when I do good and expert, I feel like I took somebody's chance of a title from them when I already wanted at a higher level. Yeah. I don't mean that in a bragging way, but I mean, to me, I know what it meant to me to try to win the title.

[00:52:26] I mean, you know, if you win something, you know, then you get a guy who has 40 years experience, right? Who played major tournaments and finals, you know, and like when I went to the beat down, you know, I've said this before I got done against Jim Stevens, but he made a comment that, you know, a world champion back then couldn't win an expert event today. And I had to prove him wrong. So you lit a fire. That's not a disrespect to Jim. I mean, it's just, it is what it is. Yeah.

[00:52:56] Let the sleeping dogs lie. You know what I mean? Well, you have to have motivation, right? You got to have something to drive you forward. And if that's what I get more credit in the world for me coming back, you know, foosball radio. Oh, I mean, you guys coming on really made it a blast to come back and talk about the old days and got me backing of the game. So that was always fun for me. I like to talk more now than play. Right. Well, it's talking in between the play. That's what it's all about.

[00:53:26] And it's not necessarily trash talking, but you know, having a little fun with it. No doubt about it.

[00:53:31] Well, yeah, you know, the ones who enjoy it and get, you know, they understand that they know how much fun it is. Yeah. And then you got the ones you just go, okay, I'm going to let this one go because, you know, we actually just played a match in a tournament.

[00:53:43] The guy says I jumped up front for Tom because I still have a pretty good defensive fireball. Okay. Just nothing else, you know? Yeah. So I jump up and I steal the guy's pass and he's a top player.

[00:53:53] And I won't say his name because he said you better never tell you what you did that to me. Oh, actually stole like two was passes in a row and call it time out got in the back of that top bag.

[00:54:01] I love it. Yeah. But he starts whining about a jar. And I'm like, my gosh, you're a block of your fire on you really going to cry and whine about a jar.

[00:54:13] Yeah, now that you put it that way.

[00:54:17] It wasn't a jar. But anyway, that's beside the point.

[00:54:20] Yeah. But you know, another thing about Masters that I'm not a lot of people probably know they're actually, you know, don't have a master singles.

[00:54:29] Oh, nice. It's gonna be separate from open. Okay. It'll be the top eight master players. That's it.

[00:54:34] If whoever shows up at the tournament, the top eight are there.

[00:54:39] I play a single elimination singles match. Single elimination.

[00:54:45] Really? So okay, so now the top eight Masters now they're seated. Is that what you're talking about? They're using the seating system?

[00:54:54] Well, they're just taking the top eight points. Okay. You know, if you're a master, you're there. I mean, you know, I mean, I don't know how many Masters are going to show up. It's hard to say.

[00:55:04] But that's really I don't know a lot about it. I just know that there can be the top eight. If there's 20 Masters show up, they're only taking the top eight.

[00:55:11] Oh, wow. That now that's intriguing. Now to me, this is this is what needs to happen in the near future.

[00:55:19] There needs to be a portion of the Foosball world or or shall we say competition wherein you have a group of Masters touring around to different stops.

[00:55:29] And it could be the top 10 or it could be the top 15. Who knows? But this is I think this is a really intriguing idea doing a singles single elimination round of just the top eight Masters.

[00:55:41] That's a that's really cool and that could be very, very exciting. Very exciting. Yeah. I mean, because it's funny because I asked Rob Cato.

[00:55:50] I said this question is good. I already think I know the answer. OK, excuse this question. Why only the top eight?

[00:55:58] And he said basically it's not that personal against a new master. OK, but if you're in the top eight in the world, the top eight show up.

[00:56:07] I'm not saying they will. I mean, that's going to be your best competition. In singles, you're going to see you see those guys playing each other.

[00:56:15] If you're a new master, there's no disrespect to you. But I'm just saying that, you know, to do it by you got the top the top top and plus, to be honest with you.

[00:56:27] I mean, it may change, but there's also time restraints. I mean, you got to figure out a lot on a Florida state.

[00:56:33] Speaking of time, what time of the weekend are they going to do this?

[00:56:37] That I'm sure it's on the flyer. Unfortunately, I'm OK. I told you my computer crashed on my phone.

[00:56:43] So I can't look that up right now. No, I hear you know it's I mean, if it were like on Sunday, you know, unless of course it's competing with the open.

[00:56:52] Yeah, I mean, I guess they're going to figure that out. My I mean, to be like the it's almost like the main event.

[00:57:00] I would have it on a Saturday night. OK, Saturday night. OK, that's only eight players at single elimination.

[00:57:05] So how long could it last? Right. Right. Right. Right. But that I don't know for sure.

[00:57:10] But you know, I think the main important main point here, too, is you do it at a time when everybody else can gather around and watch.

[00:57:18] You know, they're yeah, I mean, they have to stop play. Yeah.

[00:57:21] What I'd like to see because Saturday nights, the Hall of Fame where you enter, you know, induct people.

[00:57:26] Yep. I would love to see them watch play a stop to go ahead and play that event.

[00:57:31] I'm not saying he will do that. OK. But, you know, I think that would be good time.

[00:57:36] You know, we all know when, you know, you may get 150 people show up.

[00:57:41] I mean, you may get 250 people show up. So, you know, you got to really kind of go, OK, you know, we can only do what we can do.

[00:57:49] But, you know, like hopefully it's I believe it will be.

[00:57:53] But hopefully it's like it's treated like the main event. You know what I mean?

[00:57:56] So now this this Masters event, what are the are you familiar with what the payouts might be like?

[00:58:02] Or is there like a grand prize?

[00:58:04] I have no idea. And again, like I said, I didn't realize I was going to be on my phone because it's the weirdest thing I told you.

[00:58:14] My laptop went down and then my wife works at home for a big company.

[00:58:19] And for some reason, they banned anybody from using which. Oh, interesting.

[00:58:27] Interesting. So that I can use your computer.

[00:58:30] It's like I can't we're not allowed to go on Twitch. OK.

[00:58:35] Yeah, they put a blocker on it. So that kind of messed up my my knowledge.

[00:58:41] That's OK. But I mean, it's working out well.

[00:58:44] I mean, technically we can see we can hear you. That's all that matters.

[00:58:47] You know, and well, the cool thing is there's like four different tournaments giving away package deals, which is awesome.

[00:58:55] Nice. You got Ohio State next year, Mississippi State next year.

[00:58:58] I think Michigan this year in Colorado where all giving away packages.

[00:59:03] See, that's a certain event. That's a that's such a great concept, a great idea, because it encourages more play.

[00:59:11] You get more people interested in winning these packages and off they go.

[00:59:16] You know, they can afford to do more tour stops because of it.

[00:59:19] Just make sense. I mean, the big really, I mean, if you think about it, it kind of did start with the South Florida Foosball.

[00:59:27] They did the first Thunder Nome. I mean, everyone eight packages.

[00:59:31] Yeah, I go play eight different tournaments with a package deal.

[00:59:34] Wow. So, I mean, yeah, I mean, it's great that I think that these promoters are starting to also realize that promoting their tournaments and your tournaments, a good thing.

[00:59:45] You know, we're going to go back and forth and.

[00:59:49] You know, want to keep talking about it, but you know, I do it all the time where I wait and I wait.

[00:59:57] I'm not going. Then I'm going and now instead of paying one oh five, I'm going to pay one eight whatever it is.

[01:00:03] You know, yeah, I get you. I get you. Well, though.

[01:00:07] This is they've already made it very clear at the hotel that there will be no exceptions.

[01:00:12] Yeah, because in September in Florida, all the hotels are filling up.

[01:00:17] Oh, yeah. You know, they really don't need this is the I mean, I don't know if I said this earlier, but this is not the usual time of year.

[01:00:26] Unfortunately, it's three weeks after the world's rights because Ron is always I mean, it's what two weeks before Michigan or the or the Great Lakes Classic this year.

[01:00:39] Yeah. And that's that is the problem because unfortunately, there wasn't Rob Rob's always had the same time.

[01:00:46] Oh, yeah. They came to him and says we can't can't accommodate you this year.

[01:00:51] OK, we basically sold out the whole hotel.

[01:00:55] And, you know, Rob's like, well, wait a minute, you know, we have a history and, you know, basically they're like, well, we sold out the whole hotel.

[01:01:02] Wow. So wow. Which is funny because usually it's a good sign.

[01:01:07] Yeah. Anyway, so this is a one time thing.

[01:01:10] You know, OK, unfortunately, it is what it is.

[01:01:13] So first of all, I want to I want to shout out to Drifter Radio is watching on Twitch TV tonight.

[01:01:18] He said a lot to say to us and I just want to share with something he just mentioned.

[01:01:23] Drifter Radio says send the master foosball players on a U.S.

[01:01:27] Hustle Tour fund the top eight players to just show up everywhere around the country and they play for money and then somehow tie in legal Las Vegas sports betting on those pros.

[01:01:40] I think it's incredible. I love it.

[01:01:42] Wouldn't that be something?

[01:01:44] Well, you know, that's the thing.

[01:01:46] I mean, honestly, it's funny because we're always looking for ways to promote the sport.

[01:01:51] And if you got all of these promoters together, I mean, it would it wouldn't be a lot of money, you know, to send guys around doing, you know, like they used to do.

[01:02:04] I mean, a lot of people don't remember this, but obviously, you know, TS, they had bands went around the country.

[01:02:09] Yeah, right.

[01:02:10] And that's all they did.

[01:02:11] They went in bars.

[01:02:12] They challenged people in bars for money.

[01:02:14] They put on shows.

[01:02:15] They put they bought their own tables out or they played on their table.

[01:02:18] In fact, Mark Crowell, who's come back and played a lot of tournaments in the last few years, is he was one of the guys.

[01:02:26] So there was OK.

[01:02:27] There was a lot of these guys traveling around and that's all they did.

[01:02:30] Well, let's take it.

[01:02:31] Let's take it one step further because now we have this thing called the Internet where you can carry a modicum of equipment, you know, simple stuff where you set up in, let's say, you know, the local the local hall that has foosball on a Friday night.

[01:02:48] And these masters show up out of nowhere and put on this this this quick competition.

[01:02:55] And they broadcast the entire thing, let's say, on Twitch TV.

[01:02:58] Easy enough to do.

[01:02:59] Easy enough to do.

[01:03:00] We're doing it right.

[01:03:01] They could do it and and just kind of show up and tour across the country.

[01:03:07] I mean, and of course, it would have to be sponsored.

[01:03:09] Well, that's what they did.

[01:03:10] They didn't actually have obviously didn't have what we have now.

[01:03:13] Yeah.

[01:03:14] But back then, that's what they did on T.S.

[01:03:16] They and actually the old guy, they would just travel around.

[01:03:20] Nobody knew they were coming.

[01:03:21] That's great.

[01:03:22] They'd walk into a bar and they say, hey, who's your best player?

[01:03:25] You know, he beats everybody.

[01:03:27] Hey, I say what we're going to do.

[01:03:28] We're going to if you beat us one game out of 10, you know, we're going to buy you a bar cap for the night.

[01:03:33] There you go.

[01:03:34] Just like that.

[01:03:35] You got the crowd around there all watching going, wait, who's these people beaten?

[01:03:40] Our guy.

[01:03:41] Who are they?

[01:03:42] Yeah.

[01:03:43] They're like totally into it.

[01:03:44] So, yeah, I mean, it's been done.

[01:03:46] That's for sure.

[01:03:47] Mm hmm.

[01:03:48] And and put up your best.

[01:03:49] Put up your best player.

[01:03:50] See what happens.

[01:03:51] Yeah.

[01:03:52] Right.

[01:03:53] And I mean, it's yeah.

[01:03:55] I mean, some of the things they used to do back there were pretty amazing.

[01:03:58] I mean, sure, I was in Tampa.

[01:03:59] I saw this.

[01:04:00] I thought it was incredible.

[01:04:01] I was like, well, we're 13.

[01:04:03] I see this TS band come rolling in and crazy ball guy on the side of the band.

[01:04:10] And the 70s, 80s, people didn't didn't even know what was going on.

[01:04:15] We're like, what is that?

[01:04:16] Yeah, man.

[01:04:18] It's a it seems like those concepts, what they were doing.

[01:04:22] That was real promotion, man.

[01:04:23] That was that was doing what you have to do to really make make a splash and let

[01:04:27] everybody know you exist.

[01:04:28] Because if you don't do that, nobody's going to know.

[01:04:31] Yeah.

[01:04:32] Well, it was funny that a lot of people don't realize or know this.

[01:04:35] Why would they?

[01:04:36] But I was talking to Tony's freedom and a prize.

[01:04:40] Well, time flies now.

[01:04:42] Maybe two, three years ago, whatever.

[01:04:44] Of course, before he decided to go, you know, he had actually we were

[01:04:50] talking about how he was telling me he wanted to just buy the edit truck.

[01:04:55] He was wanting to buy a small little pool behind.

[01:04:58] OK, trailer and just hit the road and go do promotions in advance.

[01:05:03] Have people you know, we were talking about like maybe, you know, have

[01:05:07] places that would pay him for both their town, you know, the gamers or

[01:05:11] they had the terms or the bars or whatever.

[01:05:13] And I have the number one player come there and do lessons right on the

[01:05:18] spot in their town.

[01:05:19] And unfortunately, it never happened because I thought that was the

[01:05:23] greatest idea ever.

[01:05:24] My first thing was, yeah, you could video it.

[01:05:26] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[01:05:28] Drifter Radio says we can call it the sprain of that.

[01:05:30] There you go.

[01:05:32] Love that.

[01:05:34] No, it's this is the kind of thing again.

[01:05:37] You get out there among people that that play foosball, maybe just in

[01:05:42] their local right.

[01:05:43] And you you roll through on a Friday night or a Saturday night and just

[01:05:48] turn the place upside down.

[01:05:50] Have a great time.

[01:05:51] Stream it.

[01:05:52] Have everybody participate in some way, shape or form.

[01:05:55] You know, make it make it easy to jump in and maybe win some money

[01:05:59] or maybe some some prizes if you had a beverage company, especially

[01:06:03] if you're going to a tavern, you know, local beverage company

[01:06:06] provides a few pieces of chachki along the way, something you can win.

[01:06:10] Yeah, man.

[01:06:11] There's somebody who said for that, you know, it's just how do you

[01:06:14] how do you get that going and how do you get the sponsors that you

[01:06:17] need to to make it possible?

[01:06:20] And how many of the the pro masters could could afford to do this

[01:06:24] themselves and get out there.

[01:06:26] But hey, yeah, well, I tell you, one of the things that I found

[01:06:30] and I meant to mention this earlier because it's going to happen at

[01:06:33] Forest State is, you know, Ryan's doing this, you know, his thing

[01:06:37] where he's teaching more like what Tony those guys were doing

[01:06:40] Excellent, excellent idea.

[01:06:41] I don't necessarily understand it.

[01:06:42] Never paid much attention to it.

[01:06:44] But yeah, basically, he got it got so big that he had to cut it

[01:06:48] off.

[01:06:49] I'm not surprised.

[01:06:50] I'm not surprised.

[01:06:52] So it was amazing because in Ohio State he was there and he

[01:06:58] was doing the lessons there and I was just kind of hanging

[01:07:00] back.

[01:07:01] I didn't want to bother anybody.

[01:07:03] We were done.

[01:07:05] I'm not allowed to give away a straight secrets.

[01:07:08] OK.

[01:07:09] That's what he told me.

[01:07:10] All right.

[01:07:11] I said, all right, Ryan.

[01:07:13] First of all, I love right.

[01:07:15] He's all business.

[01:07:16] Oh, yeah.

[01:07:17] All business.

[01:07:18] Great business person.

[01:07:19] I said, I can't remember exactly how I put it.

[01:07:23] I said, what's the deal on?

[01:07:25] Because I don't do deals.

[01:07:27] No discounts.

[01:07:29] Yeah, that's exactly what he said.

[01:07:31] And I didn't mean the deal like I wanted to do it with him.

[01:07:34] I was like, OK, let me rephrase that.

[01:07:37] You could teach people a lot of things, but can you teach

[01:07:41] people react time and just sorry.

[01:07:49] I'm going brain dead here.

[01:07:51] Well, how about the teach people table awareness, table

[01:07:54] awareness and timing?

[01:07:55] Table awareness.

[01:07:56] I mean, it's one thing to, you know, I mean, you see

[01:07:59] guys that can do a lot of things until it's the

[01:08:01] pressure time and how they react to situations or what's

[01:08:05] going on.

[01:08:06] You know, just the whole response thing.

[01:08:08] And he said yes.

[01:08:10] And I was like, I find that hard to believe.

[01:08:13] But you're the master.

[01:08:14] You know, he should know.

[01:08:16] I mean, because, you know, reaction time is just

[01:08:19] something you just.

[01:08:20] I don't see how you could train.

[01:08:22] Well, I get it when you're playing football or

[01:08:24] certain things.

[01:08:25] I guess there are ways.

[01:08:26] But anyway, he explained his reasoning behind it.

[01:08:29] Probably drills you could do.

[01:08:31] Think about this during the foosballers movie.

[01:08:35] Todd LaFreda was showing the Tom Spear cassette.

[01:08:39] The cassette where there is certain things you had to

[01:08:42] do.

[01:08:43] You had to shoot a straight or a middle or a long.

[01:08:45] And there was a time in between the commands and

[01:08:48] you had to kind of be ready when the time was up

[01:08:51] and it was it was different every single time.

[01:08:54] So that that kind of I think that would be an

[01:08:57] exercise.

[01:08:58] It would help your timing.

[01:09:00] Yeah, I guess what I actually said when the other

[01:09:02] thing I said was just instinct.

[01:09:03] Yeah.

[01:09:04] OK.

[01:09:05] You know, like instinct of you know how the ball

[01:09:08] when it's fine around the table.

[01:09:09] What do you do?

[01:09:10] Do you move fast?

[01:09:11] Do you sit in a spot?

[01:09:13] You know, and we talked about that.

[01:09:15] And, you know, of course, you know, when the

[01:09:17] ride explains it, you go, oh yeah, well, that

[01:09:19] makes sense.

[01:09:20] But the coolest thing about the whole thing I

[01:09:22] really wanted to say was Ryan is actually playing

[01:09:25] one of the students that he had taught in Florida

[01:09:28] State and open doubles.

[01:09:29] Oh, oh, he's bringing in one of this.

[01:09:32] I don't know who that is.

[01:09:33] That's really cool.

[01:09:35] He's actually going to be a Florida State this

[01:09:37] year and he's going to be doing that.

[01:09:40] He's going to be playing with the kids.

[01:09:41] So that's exciting.

[01:09:42] Like I said, I'm really pushing the Florida State

[01:09:45] because I know what a great term it is.

[01:09:46] And, you know, I know it's maybe bad timing

[01:09:49] with the world, but, you know, we're maybe

[01:09:52] not going to come give it a second thought

[01:09:54] because it's definitely a term or something.

[01:09:57] Well, I think we're, you know, with those

[01:10:00] kind of ideas and of course, Ryan Moore being

[01:10:02] one of the one of the greats coming up with

[01:10:04] this this clever idea of being able to

[01:10:06] teach people.

[01:10:07] But also one person gets selected be played

[01:10:10] with, you know, they get to be in a

[01:10:12] tournament with Ryan as a partner.

[01:10:13] Wow.

[01:10:14] That to me, that's worth it.

[01:10:15] That's worth all the tea in China right

[01:10:17] there.

[01:10:18] Oh, yeah.

[01:10:19] You know, that's so cool.

[01:10:21] But I want to change the whole subject

[01:10:23] and ask a question.

[01:10:25] Me and Tom, you're talking about this

[01:10:27] the whole weekend with other masters and

[01:10:29] pros.

[01:10:30] OK.

[01:10:31] And this whole thing's been beat to

[01:10:33] death.

[01:10:34] But, you know, I actually said this

[01:10:35] and people are like, oh,

[01:10:36] championship doubles.

[01:10:38] OK, I'm not against championship

[01:10:41] double the championship format.

[01:10:42] Is that what you're referring to?

[01:10:43] Or yes, championship format.

[01:10:45] Yeah.

[01:10:46] Here was my question.

[01:10:48] You win the winner's bracket.

[01:10:50] You're the winner.

[01:10:51] Yeah.

[01:10:52] OK.

[01:10:53] Then the guy in that loss for the

[01:10:55] winner's bracket is guaranteed second,

[01:10:57] right?

[01:10:58] Mm hmm.

[01:10:59] Why?

[01:11:00] Well, OK.

[01:11:01] And this is I had a loss in second.

[01:11:03] Yeah, yeah, there's only there's

[01:11:05] only one team that's that's

[01:11:07] undefeated right in the finals.

[01:11:09] That's fine.

[01:11:10] However, second place and third

[01:11:12] place have still only one loss.

[01:11:16] So why don't they play over second

[01:11:18] third?

[01:11:19] Exactly.

[01:11:20] So that would be truly the guy in

[01:11:22] second place.

[01:11:23] So the second place in the

[01:11:25] final bracket actually came and

[01:11:27] played more matches.

[01:11:28] Yes.

[01:11:29] But they're still even in the

[01:11:30] loss category.

[01:11:31] I think why wouldn't they play

[01:11:33] for second or third?

[01:11:34] I think we're on to something

[01:11:35] here because I think that's

[01:11:36] that's the missing link

[01:11:37] because so many people are

[01:11:39] upset by the fact they can't

[01:11:40] play through the loser's

[01:11:41] bracket to end up in the

[01:11:42] finals.

[01:11:43] They that's what they're used

[01:11:44] to doing.

[01:11:45] That's you know, there's a lot

[01:11:46] of people upset by that.

[01:11:47] So OK, let's compromise

[01:11:49] and say, OK, if you make it

[01:11:50] to second place and you lose

[01:11:51] the bracket, you still play

[01:11:52] third place.

[01:11:53] You're just even with the guy

[01:11:54] you're going to be with the

[01:11:55] loser's bracket side.

[01:11:56] Yep.

[01:11:57] I mean, I totally agree with

[01:11:58] it.

[01:11:59] If you go through and you're

[01:12:00] on beat, fine.

[01:12:02] You know what?

[01:12:03] I want a big tournament coming

[01:12:04] out of the loser's bracket.

[01:12:05] So it's not like I'm biased

[01:12:07] for losers bracket coming out

[01:12:08] of the loser's bracket.

[01:12:09] But if you're going to play

[01:12:10] that, which is fine, because

[01:12:13] I probably, you know, my

[01:12:14] odds of making it that

[01:12:15] championship round are kind

[01:12:16] of slim.

[01:12:17] But yeah, you're going to

[01:12:18] do that fine.

[01:12:19] But it should only be one

[01:12:20] place for the winner's bracket

[01:12:21] and wins is the winner of the

[01:12:23] tournament.

[01:12:24] And the rest have to play up

[01:12:25] for what it was.

[01:12:26] Understood.

[01:12:27] Understood.

[01:12:28] I think there's Tom yours

[01:12:29] like at first he's like,

[01:12:30] no, because because wait a

[01:12:32] minute.

[01:12:33] No, because you know, you

[01:12:34] got a point.

[01:12:35] Mm hmm.

[01:12:36] And then Tommy was the

[01:12:37] same way.

[01:12:38] He's like, no, no way.

[01:12:39] You know, you made it

[01:12:40] there.

[01:12:41] You played for it.

[01:12:42] I go, but you lost.

[01:12:43] And he goes, yeah, yeah.

[01:12:44] Yeah.

[01:12:45] OK.

[01:12:46] So I think it would be such

[01:12:48] a much better event.

[01:12:49] It would be especially with

[01:12:51] the major events, the open

[01:12:53] events.

[01:12:54] Yes.

[01:12:55] Open mixed open doubles, open

[01:12:56] singles.

[01:12:57] It only makes sense.

[01:12:58] You know, if you want to do

[01:12:59] it some way a different way in

[01:13:01] other events, you know, maybe

[01:13:02] in pros and experts fine.

[01:13:04] But that that really should be

[01:13:05] the format agreed.

[01:13:07] Yeah, they can only be one

[01:13:08] undefeated winner.

[01:13:09] Yeah.

[01:13:10] So a guy defeated is not

[01:13:11] second place.

[01:13:12] He plays third.

[01:13:13] Yep.

[01:13:14] Just by opinion.

[01:13:15] No, it's a lot more

[01:13:16] interesting.

[01:13:17] That was one of the

[01:13:18] things I was asked here a

[01:13:19] while ago.

[01:13:20] You know, wait a second.

[01:13:21] There's there's you're

[01:13:22] supposed to lose twice before

[01:13:23] you're out or completely out

[01:13:25] of the competition.

[01:13:26] And it happened to everybody

[01:13:27] else along the way.

[01:13:28] You know, you get knocked

[01:13:29] into losers bracket and

[01:13:30] you're still playing until

[01:13:31] you lose.

[01:13:32] Right.

[01:13:33] So why doesn't that happen

[01:13:35] to second place in third

[01:13:36] place?

[01:13:37] I agree.

[01:13:38] Yeah.

[01:13:39] That was just something that

[01:13:40] drove me crazy about the

[01:13:41] championship thing.

[01:13:42] But I I try to stay offline

[01:13:44] these days.

[01:13:45] I don't want to get no.

[01:13:46] No, I get you.

[01:13:47] Now, this is the place

[01:13:48] where we can say stuff

[01:13:49] like this because, you know,

[01:13:50] it's no offense to anybody.

[01:13:51] And it doesn't mean that

[01:13:53] we're for or against

[01:13:54] anything.

[01:13:55] It's about, OK, let's

[01:13:56] let's do this and make

[01:13:57] have it make sense.

[01:13:58] You know, something that

[01:13:59] we can we can wrap

[01:14:00] our head around.

[01:14:01] I understand Mary's

[01:14:02] point. She's a promoter.

[01:14:03] Yeah.

[01:14:04] It takes so much

[01:14:05] time off of it.

[01:14:06] Oh, it's also so

[01:14:07] anticlimactic when

[01:14:08] you the best you

[01:14:09] could do is third.

[01:14:10] Yeah.

[01:14:11] I mean, right.

[01:14:12] And some people are

[01:14:13] saying like, oh, well,

[01:14:14] there's not much money

[01:14:15] difference between

[01:14:16] the first place.

[01:14:17] It's not the point.

[01:14:18] Right. Nobody's playing

[01:14:19] to get rich.

[01:14:20] Nobody. Nobody.

[01:14:21] Even the first place is

[01:14:22] not, you know, kind of

[01:14:23] much. Yeah.

[01:14:24] Yeah. I don't care

[01:14:25] who you are.

[01:14:26] I mean, the old saying

[01:14:27] is, OK, I got second.

[01:14:28] I was the last loser

[01:14:29] in the turn.

[01:14:30] Mm hmm.

[01:14:31] But the point is

[01:14:32] you're still

[01:14:33] you're still

[01:14:34] in it.

[01:14:35] Yeah, you're still in it.

[01:14:36] So you need to fight it out.

[01:14:37] There needs to be that

[01:14:38] that final battle

[01:14:39] and I totally get that.

[01:14:40] Now timing, you know,

[01:14:41] that's that's the other

[01:14:42] thing they they

[01:14:43] they find that

[01:14:44] chances are

[01:14:45] that they find that

[01:14:46] championship format is

[01:14:47] is easier to time.

[01:14:48] And I get that.

[01:14:49] And that's cool.

[01:14:50] You can still time it out.

[01:14:51] You can still do that.

[01:14:52] I'm you know,

[01:14:53] I think maybe might be

[01:14:54] people people might say,

[01:14:55] well, you know,

[01:14:56] if there's a another

[01:14:57] round between second

[01:14:58] and third place,

[01:14:59] will everybody

[01:15:00] stick around and watch

[01:15:01] that if we already

[01:15:02] know who the winner

[01:15:03] is going to be,

[01:15:04] you know, the

[01:15:05] the final winner is

[01:15:06] going to be with people

[01:15:07] watching third and fourth.

[01:15:08] Yeah, right.

[01:15:09] You know,

[01:15:10] so you people just

[01:15:11] guys like me

[01:15:12] or you just want

[01:15:13] to see the champions

[01:15:14] play.

[01:15:15] Right, right, right.

[01:15:16] You know, agreed.

[01:15:18] Well, and for me,

[01:15:19] I just think

[01:15:20] I have like, OK,

[01:15:21] I agree with

[01:15:22] everything about

[01:15:23] championship that

[01:15:24] they want to do.

[01:15:25] I understand the reasons

[01:15:26] why various promoter

[01:15:27] knocks off,

[01:15:28] you know, eight hours

[01:15:29] off her tournament.

[01:15:30] God bless her.

[01:15:31] I get it.

[01:15:32] But you just can't

[01:15:33] have a loser

[01:15:34] be a winner over other

[01:15:35] losers.

[01:15:36] Right.

[01:15:37] No, no, no.

[01:15:38] I have a chance to see

[01:15:39] who they lost,

[01:15:40] who won the losers.

[01:15:41] No, I, you know,

[01:15:42] I have to say,

[01:15:43] you know, the TKO

[01:15:44] is the first time

[01:15:45] they actually

[01:15:46] implemented the

[01:15:47] championship format.

[01:15:48] And I did as a

[01:15:49] as a viewer,

[01:15:50] as a fan.

[01:15:51] I enjoyed it.

[01:15:52] I enjoyed watching that.

[01:15:53] I understood how

[01:15:54] it was supposed to work.

[01:15:55] And there were some

[01:15:56] really intense matches.

[01:15:58] You know, we talked about

[01:15:59] Ryan and Sammy Dejan

[01:16:02] going at it.

[01:16:03] And then Ryan and Tommy

[01:16:04] in the finals of the singles.

[01:16:05] Wow.

[01:16:06] I mean, it was

[01:16:07] it was knocked down

[01:16:08] drag out.

[01:16:09] It was just as good

[01:16:10] as any other

[01:16:11] any other tournament.

[01:16:12] But yeah, so

[01:16:13] this is something that

[01:16:14] just needs to

[01:16:15] tweaked a little bit.

[01:16:16] You know, it's not

[01:16:17] a big deal.

[01:16:18] It's not a huge change.

[01:16:19] So maybe there's room for that.

[01:16:22] Well, Tom, I know

[01:16:23] I talk too much.

[01:16:24] So are we probably over time

[01:16:25] because you guys

[01:16:26] only do like an hour.

[01:16:27] Well, we are a little over,

[01:16:28] but that's OK.

[01:16:29] I mean, that's I'm fine.

[01:16:30] And it mostly because

[01:16:31] Randy is just, you know,

[01:16:32] he sleeps all the time.

[01:16:33] So what can I tell you?

[01:16:36] You know, one thing

[01:16:37] I love about Randy

[01:16:38] always has a big smile

[01:16:39] on his face and

[01:16:40] he's very chipper.

[01:16:41] Oh, so first words chipper.

[01:16:45] Yeah, you're you're a man.

[01:16:47] You're a master of

[01:16:48] understatement, by the way.

[01:16:50] Wow.

[01:16:51] Chipper.

[01:16:52] I love it when

[01:16:53] he's got his hoodie on

[01:16:54] and he's just

[01:16:56] he's buttoned up

[01:16:57] and I say hello

[01:16:58] and he'll go, how are you doing?

[01:17:01] I've always figured

[01:17:02] when he has his hoodie on

[01:17:03] he just doesn't want to show

[01:17:04] you know, his wife got mad

[01:17:05] smack him around.

[01:17:06] Yeah, right.

[01:17:07] Right.

[01:17:08] Now he's

[01:17:09] I love the guy, man.

[01:17:10] He's great.

[01:17:11] We don't even know

[01:17:12] each other that well.

[01:17:13] But what we do know

[01:17:14] we we've we've come to an agreement

[01:17:16] we would like each other.

[01:17:17] He's a he's a class act.

[01:17:19] He really is.

[01:17:20] And he's and he's

[01:17:21] he's really got

[01:17:22] that sensibility

[01:17:23] that you can only get

[01:17:24] from being raised

[01:17:25] in Massachusetts

[01:17:26] or in the Boston area.

[01:17:28] Those guys, they have

[01:17:29] a crazy sense of humor

[01:17:32] and you know,

[01:17:33] they just make me laugh

[01:17:34] every time I talk with them,

[01:17:35] especially.

[01:17:36] Rick Pomeroy made

[01:17:37] the mistake in Ohio

[01:17:38] saying the best pizza

[01:17:39] in the world in Ohio.

[01:17:40] That's it, man.

[01:17:41] It's like, whoa, whoa, whoa.

[01:17:42] You know, all of a sudden

[01:17:43] the New York guys

[01:17:44] I see people like

[01:17:46] coming from out of their rooms

[01:17:48] from New York and Boston

[01:17:49] and Mass going

[01:17:51] who's that dummy who said

[01:17:52] they got the best pizza

[01:17:54] in Columbus, Ohio?

[01:17:55] Huh?

[01:17:56] No, no.

[01:17:57] I have to tell you

[01:17:58] I had it.

[01:17:59] It was good.

[01:18:00] Did you?

[01:18:01] All right.

[01:18:02] OK.

[01:18:03] They actually

[01:18:04] that's just another thing

[01:18:05] going back to Rick

[01:18:06] inviting those guys.

[01:18:07] I think it was a great

[01:18:08] Oh, yeah.

[01:18:09] They actually called it

[01:18:10] an event like basically

[01:18:11] I think you put in

[01:18:12] four dollars or something

[01:18:13] and they brought a bunch

[01:18:14] of pizzas in.

[01:18:15] Oh, nice.

[01:18:16] You know, very good.

[01:18:17] Well, free.

[01:18:18] So far out of their way

[01:18:19] to make people happy

[01:18:21] and make the tournament

[01:18:22] run well.

[01:18:23] And Rick was on everything.

[01:18:24] And finally, I just said,

[01:18:25] Rick, listen, you know,

[01:18:27] they're having the same

[01:18:28] problems everybody has.

[01:18:29] The hotel told him

[01:18:30] something, you know,

[01:18:31] we have this Ethernet

[01:18:32] and all we don't have

[01:18:33] an Ethernet the last.

[01:18:34] OK.

[01:18:35] I said, Rick,

[01:18:36] I'm going to explode.

[01:18:38] Everybody understands.

[01:18:39] Just enjoy the weekend.

[01:18:40] And a lot of being

[01:18:41] great.

[01:18:42] And then ran the tournament

[01:18:43] and they did a great job.

[01:18:44] Everything went well.

[01:18:45] Everything was moving.

[01:18:46] Yep.

[01:18:47] The term was over early.

[01:18:48] So, well, I mean,

[01:18:50] next year if you had

[01:18:51] if you can make it,

[01:18:52] that's for sure.

[01:18:53] Oh, no.

[01:18:54] Ohio State.

[01:18:55] I think the Midwest

[01:18:56] has really come to life.

[01:18:57] You've got the Great Lakes

[01:18:58] Classic, which is coming up

[01:19:00] October 11th.

[01:19:01] Michael Stahl

[01:19:02] is doing a great job there.

[01:19:03] I think it's his

[01:19:04] fourth year now

[01:19:05] doing that tournament,

[01:19:06] although it's a different name.

[01:19:07] It's still Michigan State.

[01:19:09] They have the

[01:19:10] the Hall of Fame again

[01:19:11] happening this year

[01:19:13] and they have a great hotel.

[01:19:15] It's an awesome place to stay.

[01:19:17] And yeah, I think

[01:19:18] for that area of the world,

[01:19:19] I think it would be so awesome

[01:19:21] to see the like,

[01:19:24] you know, say Chicago,

[01:19:27] Ohio, you know, Michigan

[01:19:29] or whoever else is in that circle.

[01:19:31] Yep.

[01:19:32] Like they all feel like

[01:19:33] their teams together

[01:19:34] and that they have like

[01:19:35] at the end of like some sort of,

[01:19:37] you know, league thing.

[01:19:38] You all meet up at a tournament

[01:19:40] and everybody,

[01:19:41] each state displays

[01:19:43] each other in that little area.

[01:19:45] And then it just moves

[01:19:46] from tournament to tournament.

[01:19:47] There you go.

[01:19:48] Something like that

[01:19:49] would really be a blast.

[01:19:51] Unfortunately, we live in Florida, so

[01:19:53] Well, you know,

[01:19:54] you got to jump off a bridge.

[01:19:56] We do have Georgia

[01:19:57] or you know,

[01:19:58] Georgia, Tennessee.

[01:20:00] You've got some

[01:20:01] some really great stuff

[01:20:02] happening there.

[01:20:03] I mean, you know,

[01:20:04] you think about Florida

[01:20:05] and Louisiana, Mississippi.

[01:20:06] There is a core of players

[01:20:08] in that area that

[01:20:09] are to beat the band, man.

[01:20:10] I mean, there's very few

[01:20:12] other parts of the country

[01:20:13] that can compete

[01:20:14] with that core of players.

[01:20:16] Everything from Terry Rue

[01:20:17] to Brandon Munoz,

[01:20:19] Blake Robertson,

[01:20:20] those guys,

[01:20:21] I mean, rock solid players.

[01:20:22] Oh yeah, you got Mississippi,

[01:20:23] you got Dewey Culpepper.

[01:20:25] Yep.

[01:20:26] You know, all the,

[01:20:27] you know, Hannah and all the,

[01:20:28] I mean, yeah.

[01:20:29] You know, it's amazing

[01:20:30] we've talked about this before

[01:20:31] and you sit back

[01:20:32] and realize how many

[01:20:33] tournaments are in the South.

[01:20:34] Yeah.

[01:20:35] Oh yeah.

[01:20:36] I mean, if we had

[01:20:37] that many tournaments

[01:20:38] going on in other places,

[01:20:39] then there'd never be

[01:20:40] a weekend available,

[01:20:42] which wouldn't be a bad thing

[01:20:43] because you feel

[01:20:44] two different sides

[01:20:45] of the world, you know?

[01:20:46] Well, and this is something

[01:20:48] I really didn't think about

[01:20:49] this clearly enough

[01:20:50] when I said it last time,

[01:20:51] but I was saying,

[01:20:52] hey, you know,

[01:20:53] maybe they should work

[01:20:54] the calendar out.

[01:20:55] So in the really crappy

[01:20:56] Northeastern weather,

[01:20:57] when things are really cold,

[01:20:58] we'd love to come south

[01:20:59] to play foosball.

[01:21:00] And if let's say

[01:21:01] it's really, really hot

[01:21:02] during the summer,

[01:21:03] so bring the tournaments

[01:21:04] to the North or the Midwest.

[01:21:07] And somebody said to me,

[01:21:09] Chuck Dooley,

[01:21:10] he said to me,

[01:21:12] now wait a second,

[01:21:13] that wouldn't work.

[01:21:14] I'm like, what do you mean

[01:21:15] it wouldn't work?

[01:21:16] He said, because

[01:21:17] when you go to the South

[01:21:18] and the weather is cooler,

[01:21:19] like in the,

[01:21:20] when things aren't hot,

[01:21:21] that's when people

[01:21:22] are out doing stuff.

[01:21:23] They don't want to play

[01:21:24] foosball

[01:21:25] because they can go outside.

[01:21:26] Not only just that,

[01:21:27] but also the weather.

[01:21:28] Not only just that,

[01:21:29] the thing about when you come

[01:21:31] to Florida those times

[01:21:32] of the year,

[01:21:33] well we've already got

[01:21:35] 10 million tourists here.

[01:21:36] Exactly.

[01:21:37] And the hotels are like,

[01:21:39] I don't need your business.

[01:21:40] You're booked.

[01:21:41] And on top of that,

[01:21:42] everything's three times

[01:21:43] what it would cost you,

[01:21:45] hotel-wise.

[01:21:46] So now I get it.

[01:21:47] Mary said that before.

[01:21:49] It's like,

[01:21:50] Florida doesn't need me.

[01:21:51] Yeah.

[01:21:52] It's hard to get in

[01:21:54] because they, you know,

[01:21:55] Florida is like,

[01:21:56] it's just a different,

[01:21:57] you know,

[01:21:58] you come here in the summertime

[01:22:00] and unfortunately people

[01:22:02] in the South,

[01:22:03] the term is all happening

[01:22:04] in the summertime

[01:22:05] because kids are out of school.

[01:22:06] Yep.

[01:22:07] And it's indoors.

[01:22:08] Yeah.

[01:22:09] So you can play easily indoors.

[01:22:11] As long as your air conditioning

[01:22:12] is running,

[01:22:13] good to go.

[01:22:14] Yeah.

[01:22:15] Basically, I mean,

[01:22:16] you figured 10 months

[01:22:17] out of the year,

[01:22:18] it's going to be at least

[01:22:19] in the 80s.

[01:22:20] Oh yeah.

[01:22:21] Oh, no question.

[01:22:22] It's a quandary

[01:22:23] and being,

[01:22:24] I'm sure being a promoter

[01:22:25] these days,

[01:22:26] it's such a challenge

[01:22:27] because you really do have

[01:22:28] to think about it

[01:22:29] very carefully as to how

[01:22:30] you time out when

[01:22:31] you're going to be

[01:22:32] holding your event.

[01:22:33] And it's exciting though

[01:22:34] because there's so many

[01:22:35] happening now.

[01:22:36] So we're in good shape, man.

[01:22:38] If you're like foosball,

[01:22:39] I think we're pretty darn good

[01:22:41] company right now

[01:22:42] because there's lots to do.

[01:22:45] Now covering everything,

[01:22:46] that's the other thing.

[01:22:48] Right.

[01:22:49] Well, that's growing.

[01:22:50] I mean,

[01:22:51] we have a few different ones now.

[01:22:52] Yep.

[01:22:53] But, you know,

[01:22:54] even in Florida now,

[01:22:55] I mean, honestly,

[01:22:56] that I guess Inside Foos

[01:22:58] is coming to do

[01:23:00] the tournament,

[01:23:02] the Florida State Masters.

[01:23:03] Good.

[01:23:04] Yeah. So Inside Foos.

[01:23:05] You know, now,

[01:23:06] honestly with Tommy and those guys,

[01:23:07] I mean, you know,

[01:23:08] now that they have

[01:23:09] their own equipment.

[01:23:10] Yep.

[01:23:11] I mean, if somebody doesn't

[01:23:12] really want to go,

[01:23:13] I mean, you know,

[01:23:14] if it's worth their while,

[01:23:15] they could go to Florida,

[01:23:16] Georgia, you know,

[01:23:17] Tennessee type of thing,

[01:23:18] you know,

[01:23:19] but everybody's kind of

[01:23:20] doing their old thing now,

[01:23:21] grabbing their own equipment.

[01:23:22] Well, it's easy.

[01:23:23] It's relatively simple.

[01:23:24] As long as you've got

[01:23:25] a decent internet connection,

[01:23:26] you can do it.

[01:23:27] Just, you know,

[01:23:28] some technical things

[01:23:29] to work out, obviously.

[01:23:30] I mean, you can stream your

[01:23:32] DYP for goodness sake.

[01:23:33] And we've been trying that

[01:23:34] in the Northeast a bit.

[01:23:35] But...

[01:23:36] Sorry, Tom.

[01:23:37] I got to hit my power button.

[01:23:38] Oh, yeah, yeah.

[01:23:39] You're running out of juice.

[01:23:41] I'm about to go dead on you.

[01:23:42] Sorry.

[01:23:45] Nice lifeline on the thumb there,

[01:23:47] by the way.

[01:23:49] Sorry about that.

[01:23:51] No, it's...

[01:23:52] I don't want you to run out of power.

[01:23:54] But no, it's true.

[01:23:55] And there's great coverage.

[01:23:57] I mean, you've got Inside Foos.

[01:23:58] Modern Foos is doing a great job.

[01:24:01] Now you've got these guys

[01:24:02] coming from the ITSF.

[01:24:03] When they come across the pond,

[01:24:04] they've got an amazing setup.

[01:24:06] And I think, you know,

[01:24:07] the majors are going to be

[01:24:08] well covered.

[01:24:09] There's no doubt about that.

[01:24:10] So I think, you know,

[01:24:11] we're very lucky to be

[01:24:12] around at this time

[01:24:13] and in the sport

[01:24:15] at this very moment

[01:24:16] because it's getting

[01:24:17] better every time.

[01:24:18] So kudos to everybody

[01:24:19] that does that, man.

[01:24:20] That's a tough gig right there.

[01:24:23] Oh, I agree.

[01:24:24] I mean, you know,

[01:24:25] the thing about it is

[01:24:26] a lot of people don't realize

[01:24:27] they complain about

[01:24:28] Inside Foos or whatever.

[01:24:29] But these guys basically

[01:24:30] travel for free.

[01:24:31] They're going and setting up.

[01:24:33] And I'm sure they get like

[01:24:34] a hotel deal out of it

[01:24:35] or something.

[01:24:36] Maybe.

[01:24:37] For the most part.

[01:24:38] Yeah.

[01:24:39] It's like, okay,

[01:24:40] well, there's plenty of people

[01:24:41] doing it if you want to.

[01:24:42] Fine.

[01:24:43] But you know,

[01:24:44] making money doing it.

[01:24:45] And you know,

[01:24:46] nothing is perfect.

[01:24:47] I mean, technology is what it is

[01:24:48] and things happen.

[01:24:49] Things, things, you know,

[01:24:51] the stream gets delayed

[01:24:53] or gets or crashes.

[01:24:54] I mean, there's any number

[01:24:55] of things that can occur.

[01:24:56] So it's nothing.

[01:24:57] Nothing's perfect.

[01:24:58] But generally speaking,

[01:24:59] it's getting better

[01:25:00] and better and better.

[01:25:01] Every time I watch coverage,

[01:25:03] you know, whether it be

[01:25:04] Twitch TV or on

[01:25:05] on Inside Foos,

[01:25:06] it's getting better.

[01:25:07] And that's all that matters.

[01:25:08] People are doing

[01:25:09] the best they can

[01:25:10] to make a better

[01:25:11] experience out of it.

[01:25:12] And before you know it,

[01:25:13] we're going to see some more

[01:25:14] serious players out there

[01:25:15] like an ESPN

[01:25:16] or NBC Sports

[01:25:17] or something like that.

[01:25:18] Go, hmm, these guys got

[01:25:20] something going here.

[01:25:21] Let's, let's take a

[01:25:23] harder look at this

[01:25:24] and don't get involved.

[01:25:26] May that be the case?

[01:25:27] Right?

[01:25:28] Down the line.

[01:25:29] Yeah, well, hopefully

[01:25:30] there's enough business

[01:25:31] for them to all go around.

[01:25:32] Right.

[01:25:33] So right.

[01:25:34] Exactly.

[01:25:35] Well, Mike, I got to say,

[01:25:36] I think we kind of beat

[01:25:37] this cow to death.

[01:25:38] But you know,

[01:25:39] I agree.

[01:25:40] It's great getting back together.

[01:25:42] This is I hope this is not

[01:25:44] the last time for for

[01:25:46] for the next couple of weeks.

[01:25:47] In fact, oh, by the way,

[01:25:49] are you going to

[01:25:50] tornadoes championships

[01:25:51] or the world championships

[01:25:52] in Lexington?

[01:25:53] No, no, no.

[01:25:55] And well, you know,

[01:25:56] I've been traveling a lot.

[01:25:58] Yes.

[01:25:59] Very busy at the foosball

[01:26:00] scene, which is unusual

[01:26:01] for me to be that busy.

[01:26:02] But OK, my wife said,

[01:26:04] listen, I know you like

[01:26:07] to go and see your friends,

[01:26:08] but we're going to

[01:26:10] we're actually going to

[01:26:11] Maine.

[01:26:12] Oh, what's a

[01:26:14] what's a friend of ours

[01:26:15] saying about take 10 days.

[01:26:18] We're going to go to that.

[01:26:19] I don't know.

[01:26:20] Honestly, you know,

[01:26:21] they point the direction

[01:26:22] I just go.

[01:26:23] But there's a big

[01:26:25] state park there.

[01:26:26] Mammoth.

[01:26:27] Oh, yes.

[01:26:28] No, no, you're talking

[01:26:29] about there is.

[01:26:30] Oh, my goodness.

[01:26:31] There's a really great place.

[01:26:34] I mean, it'll come to me

[01:26:35] in just a second.

[01:26:36] Your banger, Maine.

[01:26:37] Yes, there's it's

[01:26:40] Acadia, Acadia National Park.

[01:26:42] It's bright.

[01:26:43] I would go there.

[01:26:44] My buddy got this crazy deal

[01:26:46] where he rented this huge house.

[01:26:48] Mm hmm.

[01:26:49] Oh, it actually has two houses

[01:26:51] on the property.

[01:26:52] Oh, there you go.

[01:26:53] And so that's quite

[01:26:54] well for himself.

[01:26:55] And he's like, hey,

[01:26:56] you guys, let's go.

[01:26:57] I don't know if you're

[01:26:58] you're into I don't know

[01:26:59] if you're into photography,

[01:27:00] but the second best sunrise

[01:27:03] in the world is in

[01:27:05] Acadia National Park

[01:27:06] on the shore there.

[01:27:07] Oh, it's extra.

[01:27:08] In fact, years ago,

[01:27:10] my brother went to a college

[01:27:12] there in a banger

[01:27:13] called College of the Atlantic.

[01:27:15] So we my wife and I went there

[01:27:17] to watch him graduate.

[01:27:18] And while we were there,

[01:27:20] we were told, hey,

[01:27:21] you have to get up early

[01:27:22] and watch the sunrise.

[01:27:23] And my wife is a photographer.

[01:27:25] She's done that for

[01:27:26] for quite a long time.

[01:27:27] And she was so moved

[01:27:29] by the experience.

[01:27:30] She had never seen

[01:27:31] it quite like that.

[01:27:32] Check that out.

[01:27:33] Yeah. So definitely

[01:27:34] take that in there

[01:27:35] when you're there for sure.

[01:27:36] Of course, we have to go

[01:27:37] to Bahaba Bahaba.

[01:27:39] Naturally, I go to Bahaba.

[01:27:41] I mean, my whole thing

[01:27:42] is I'm going to eat lobster rolls.

[01:27:44] Oh, of course.

[01:27:45] Oh, let me tell you

[01:27:46] the lobster.

[01:27:47] The lobster is to die for.

[01:27:49] It's awesome.

[01:27:50] Yeah. No, it's

[01:27:51] Maine is beautiful.

[01:27:53] There's so many places

[01:27:54] along the coast.

[01:27:55] One of my favorites

[01:27:56] is Bailey's Island.

[01:27:58] There's also Booth Bay.

[01:27:59] There's a there's

[01:28:00] a whole bunch of places.

[01:28:01] And, you know, during the summer,

[01:28:02] it's a bit a bit

[01:28:03] overrun by tourists.

[01:28:04] But, you know, if you're

[01:28:05] going there later in the season,

[01:28:07] man, it's still it's

[01:28:08] still great.

[01:28:09] Still awesome. Yeah.

[01:28:10] Well, the funny part is,

[01:28:11] I mean, honestly, we have some super

[01:28:13] I'm sorry, Tom.

[01:28:14] Yeah, that's cool.

[01:28:15] I don't know my phone here,

[01:28:16] but some really, really good

[01:28:18] friends of ours that moved back.

[01:28:20] They were from Bay Harbor

[01:28:22] or Bahaba, Bangor, Bangor,

[01:28:24] Bangor, Maine.

[01:28:25] And they don't know

[01:28:26] we're coming.

[01:28:27] So we're just going to come on

[01:28:28] when we get there.

[01:28:29] We're going to walk in

[01:28:30] and knock on their door

[01:28:31] and give them a little surprise.

[01:28:32] So that'll be fun.

[01:28:33] Unless, of course,

[01:28:34] they listen to the show.

[01:28:35] But, you know, then again,

[01:28:36] I don't think they know

[01:28:37] what foosball is.

[01:28:38] OK, well, the frozen chosen land.

[01:28:41] So the frozen chosen.

[01:28:43] I love it.

[01:28:44] Well, it's again,

[01:28:46] it's great to get together.

[01:28:47] Let's let's anytime

[01:28:49] you want to come in,

[01:28:50] I mean, hang out with Randy

[01:28:51] and I. And if you got somebody

[01:28:52] you want to bring on with you,

[01:28:54] you're pretty good at that.

[01:28:55] So Bobby Diaz,

[01:28:58] you know, anybody can think of

[01:29:00] that'd be great.

[01:29:01] And as we get closer

[01:29:02] and closer to to the Masters

[01:29:04] Open, definitely even

[01:29:06] you know, the big

[01:29:07] definitely even in Rob

[01:29:08] Cato wants to jump on

[01:29:10] and talk about it.

[01:29:11] Totally down for that.

[01:29:12] In fact, I know.

[01:29:13] Yeah, you know,

[01:29:14] that's what the last time

[01:29:15] I talked to Randy

[01:29:16] and I know I talked to you

[01:29:17] and some things changed,

[01:29:18] but I'm definitely

[01:29:20] kind of in this thing now.

[01:29:21] And we you know why

[01:29:22] I'm not going to go

[01:29:23] down that long trail.

[01:29:24] But yeah, already there.

[01:29:25] Start doing it again.

[01:29:26] Having fun.

[01:29:27] Nice. It just wasn't fun

[01:29:28] for a little while.

[01:29:29] Things you know,

[01:29:30] I get that.

[01:29:31] I get that.

[01:29:32] You have to go.

[01:29:33] I love you guys,

[01:29:34] but I just needed to get out

[01:29:35] the ball scene for a bit.

[01:29:36] Well, and I did and I'm back.

[01:29:38] So the door is wide open.

[01:29:40] So here we are.

[01:29:41] Appreciate that.

[01:29:42] Absolutely.

[01:29:43] So Mike Green,

[01:29:45] Hall of Famer on Foo's

[01:29:47] Talk Alive.

[01:29:48] It's always great to have you

[01:29:49] back. Let's talk again soon.

[01:29:50] In the meantime,

[01:29:51] you know, let's let's talk

[01:29:53] about stuff and we'll get

[01:29:54] some some things together

[01:29:55] here. Some some future shows.

[01:29:57] And I got to thank the

[01:29:59] dudes. You know, they were

[01:30:00] hanging out tonight on Twitch

[01:30:01] TV, Drifter Radio,

[01:30:03] Louis T42,

[01:30:06] Alan Montrone has been on

[01:30:07] tonight and somebody with

[01:30:09] the initials VMS.

[01:30:11] I'm not sure who that might

[01:30:12] be, but come back, Alan.

[01:30:14] Come back.

[01:30:15] Come back.

[01:30:16] Come back.

[01:30:17] Doors wide open for Alan

[01:30:18] as well.

[01:30:19] But looking looking forward

[01:30:20] to to the future here.

[01:30:21] And thanks so much

[01:30:22] for spending some time, man.

[01:30:23] This is great catching up.

[01:30:25] I'm glad I'm surprised Alan

[01:30:27] didn't talk about how him

[01:30:28] and Dylan beat the wheels off

[01:30:29] me and Tom last night.

[01:30:31] I'm sure he enjoyed that

[01:30:32] more than I did.

[01:30:33] That was just last night.

[01:30:34] You guys.

[01:30:35] Oh, oh, yes.

[01:30:37] And I will bring a full

[01:30:39] report next week on what

[01:30:41] happens at the smashdown

[01:30:42] with Tommy or Tom Tommy

[01:30:44] or and I and his dad, Tom.

[01:30:47] And yeah, we'll we'll

[01:30:49] actually I think you should

[01:30:50] do an interview with those

[01:30:51] guys. So I am thinking

[01:30:53] about that now.

[01:30:54] I think that's vitally

[01:30:55] important that I bring the

[01:30:56] gear and we do that on

[01:30:57] the site.

[01:30:58] Sure.

[01:30:59] I'm still in the opinion

[01:31:00] that Tommy made the right

[01:31:01] choice.

[01:31:02] So, you know, well, that's

[01:31:03] nice to say.

[01:31:04] You didn't have to say that.

[01:31:05] You can mention that to

[01:31:06] people like it's, you

[01:31:08] know, everybody that I play

[01:31:09] with and again, I'm, you

[01:31:10] know, I'm a beginner's

[01:31:11] beginner.

[01:31:12] But there's a lot of

[01:31:13] people there in our

[01:31:15] crew, the five one eight.

[01:31:17] These guys, they're really

[01:31:18] good players and Tommy

[01:31:19] could choose any of those

[01:31:20] guys.

[01:31:21] And I just don't I still

[01:31:22] don't quite understand.

[01:31:23] I know why, because I was

[01:31:25] at Texas when you were

[01:31:26] playing an event.

[01:31:27] I didn't realize it was

[01:31:28] you. I heard somebody hit

[01:31:29] a cannon out of the back

[01:31:30] and it was you playing

[01:31:31] bowling for somebody there.

[01:31:32] Oh, you're talking about

[01:31:34] we were playing.

[01:31:36] It was one of the one of

[01:31:37] our final matches in the

[01:31:39] the over 63.

[01:31:41] I didn't know.

[01:31:42] I didn't know you're right

[01:31:43] next door. You're like at

[01:31:44] the next table over.

[01:31:45] And I mean, me and Tom

[01:31:47] were actually playing, I

[01:31:48] think that the Mellon

[01:31:52] and Warren.

[01:31:55] Oh, man.

[01:31:56] OK, I could never say

[01:31:57] his last name.

[01:31:58] Van and M.

[01:31:59] Whatever.

[01:32:00] So that's I mean, that

[01:32:01] particular match, by the

[01:32:02] way, I was playing with

[01:32:03] Michael Veidt and Michael's

[01:32:05] great guy.

[01:32:06] You know, he's he's got

[01:32:07] he's got a great five

[01:32:08] row and he's he's pretty

[01:32:10] consistent with his pull

[01:32:11] shot.

[01:32:12] So, yeah, we were we

[01:32:13] were down to I think we

[01:32:14] were playing.

[01:32:17] Who was it now?

[01:32:18] He was the guy who

[01:32:19] actually won the singles

[01:32:20] for over 63.

[01:32:22] The singles tournament in

[01:32:23] that that division.

[01:32:25] It was Rodriguez.

[01:32:26] I believe his name was.

[01:32:27] But anyway,

[01:32:29] so yeah, that that final

[01:32:30] shot ended the game.

[01:32:31] And when when I heard

[01:32:33] your voice, I'm like,

[01:32:34] what you're saying?

[01:32:35] What?

[01:32:36] How long you been

[01:32:37] standing there?

[01:32:38] Like what?

[01:32:39] What are you doing there?

[01:32:40] So yeah, it was funny.

[01:32:42] I was envious because

[01:32:43] during that tournament,

[01:32:44] Tom says, hey, your

[01:32:45] game's going well,

[01:32:46] but try to make something

[01:32:47] up a little different.

[01:32:48] So I tried to pull it.

[01:32:49] He goes, never a pull

[01:32:50] shot.

[01:32:51] Never you never shoot

[01:32:52] a bullet.

[01:32:53] Never shoot a bullet

[01:32:54] shot.

[01:32:55] Oh, my God.

[01:32:56] I'm not a full shot

[01:32:57] shooter.

[01:32:58] Well, you're a bank

[01:32:59] shooter, right?

[01:33:00] Yeah, I mean,

[01:33:01] I can do a lot of things,

[01:33:02] but when I shoot a pull

[01:33:03] shot, it looks like an

[01:33:04] animal hurt in the middle

[01:33:05] of the road.

[01:33:06] It's like, oh, really?

[01:33:07] No kidding stuff.

[01:33:08] But well, the weird

[01:33:09] thing is, and this

[01:33:10] is something that for

[01:33:11] me anyway, I can I

[01:33:12] can hit the pull shot

[01:33:13] the long spray

[01:33:15] not every time,

[01:33:16] but a lot.

[01:33:17] I do use that

[01:33:18] quite a bit.

[01:33:19] But if I haven't

[01:33:20] played somebody before,

[01:33:21] they don't know it.

[01:33:22] You know, they don't

[01:33:23] cover that hole.

[01:33:24] So I'm just giving

[01:33:25] something away here.

[01:33:26] But normally,

[01:33:27] it's either a push or

[01:33:28] or a push kick.

[01:33:32] So all right.

[01:33:33] Well, I'll be getting

[01:33:34] the play by play from

[01:33:35] Tom. What's going on?

[01:33:36] OK, I'll be texting him.

[01:33:37] All right.

[01:33:38] He's going to be telling

[01:33:39] me whether he beat

[01:33:40] T.R. or not.

[01:33:41] Oh, man.

[01:33:42] I better I better

[01:33:43] start working out now.

[01:33:44] You know, just

[01:33:47] so anyway, Mike,

[01:33:48] it's been so much fun.

[01:33:50] Let's get together

[01:33:51] again real soon.

[01:33:52] And yes, I'll give

[01:33:53] you a full report.

[01:33:54] But in the meantime,

[01:33:55] I'm going to

[01:33:56] get in the meantime.

[01:33:57] This has been Fooz Talk

[01:33:58] Live episode number

[01:33:59] two hundred eighteen

[01:34:00] with Hall of Fame

[01:34:01] or Mike Green.

[01:34:02] And thank you so much

[01:34:03] for tuning in.

[01:34:04] Looking forward to what's

[01:34:05] happening in the near

[01:34:06] future and stay tuned now.

[01:34:07] It's Fooz Talk Lives

[01:34:08] Tournament Beat.

[01:34:11] Fooz Ball Tournaments

[01:34:12] are everywhere.

[01:34:14] Fooz Talk Live

[01:34:15] proudly presents

[01:34:16] a weekly update

[01:34:17] of events near you

[01:34:19] with the Fooz Talk

[01:34:20] Live Tournament Beat.

[01:34:22] Here's what's up.

[01:34:23] The five one eight

[01:34:24] Fooz Ball Club

[01:34:25] proudly presents

[01:34:26] the sizzling summer

[01:34:28] smashdown August

[01:34:29] 17th at Trickshots,

[01:34:30] Billiards and Wicked

[01:34:31] Eatery Clifton

[01:34:32] Park, New York.

[01:34:34] The I.F.P.

[01:34:35] proudly presents

[01:34:36] the one hundred

[01:34:37] thousand dollar

[01:34:38] twenty twenty four

[01:34:39] Tornado Championships

[01:34:40] August twenty eight

[01:34:41] through September

[01:34:42] second at the

[01:34:43] Clarion Hotel

[01:34:44] in Lexington,

[01:34:45] Kentucky.

[01:34:46] The Rocky Mountain

[01:34:47] Table Soccer

[01:34:48] Championships

[01:34:49] September 13th

[01:34:50] through the 15th

[01:34:51] at the Mirage

[01:34:52] Sports Bar

[01:34:53] in Littleton,

[01:34:54] Colorado.

[01:34:55] It's the Canadian

[01:34:56] Championship of

[01:34:57] Bonzini Fooz Ball

[01:34:58] twenty twenty four

[01:34:59] September

[01:35:00] 20th through the

[01:35:01] twenty second

[01:35:02] in Montreal, Canada.

[01:35:04] Here comes the

[01:35:05] twenty twenty four

[01:35:06] Florida State

[01:35:07] Championship

[01:35:08] Masters Open

[01:35:09] September

[01:35:10] twenty six

[01:35:11] through twenty ninth

[01:35:12] at the

[01:35:13] Havada Inn

[01:35:14] in Clearwater,

[01:35:15] Florida.

[01:35:16] It's the Louisiana

[01:35:17] Open Battle

[01:35:18] in the Bayou

[01:35:19] October

[01:35:20] fourth through

[01:35:21] the sixth

[01:35:22] at Sam's

[01:35:23] Fooz Ball

[01:35:24] in Littleton,

[01:35:25] California.

[01:35:26] Introducing

[01:35:27] the ten

[01:35:28] thousand dollar

[01:35:29] Great Lakes

[01:35:30] Classic

[01:35:31] featuring the

[01:35:32] Michigan State

[01:35:33] Fooz Ball

[01:35:34] Hall of Fame

[01:35:35] October

[01:35:36] tenth through

[01:35:37] the thirteenth

[01:35:38] at the Hilton

[01:35:39] Garden Inn

[01:35:40] Lansing, Michigan.

[01:35:41] Dugan Productions

[01:35:42] present the

[01:35:43] twenty twenty

[01:35:44] four Halloween

[01:35:45] Open at McGoose

[01:35:46] in Tulsa,

[01:35:47] Oklahoma.

[01:35:48] The Virginia

[01:35:49] State Fooz Ball

[01:35:50] Championship

[01:35:51] with Bonzini

[01:35:52] It's the

[01:35:53] twenty twenty four

[01:35:54] North Carolina

[01:35:55] State Championships

[01:35:56] November

[01:35:57] twenty eighth

[01:35:58] through December

[01:35:59] first

[01:36:00] at the Crown

[01:36:01] Plaza in

[01:36:02] Asheville,

[01:36:03] North Carolina.

[01:36:04] The twenty

[01:36:05] twenty four

[01:36:06] Louisiana State

[01:36:07] Championships

[01:36:08] December

[01:36:09] fifth

[01:36:10] through the eighth

[01:36:11] at the

[01:36:12] Clarion Hotel

[01:36:13] in Kenner,

[01:36:14] New Orleans,

[01:36:15] Louisiana.

[01:36:16] Each week we do

[01:36:17] our best to give you

[01:36:18] the most up-to-date

[01:36:19] listing of Fooz Ball

[01:36:20] tournaments near you.

[01:36:21] Check out

[01:36:22] Fooz Ball Radio

[01:36:23] at FoozBallRadio.com.

[01:36:24] Tune in every week

[01:36:25] for the Fooz Talk Live

[01:36:26] Tournament Beat.

[01:36:27] Fooz Talk Live

[01:36:28] is a product of

[01:36:29] Fooz Ball Radio.

[01:36:30] With gratitude

[01:36:31] we recognize

[01:36:32] our Fooz Ball Radio

[01:36:33] Patreons,

[01:36:34] our Fooz Talk Live

[01:36:35] sponsor,

[01:36:36] Original-Leonhart-USA.com

[01:36:37] and thanks to

[01:36:38] InsideFooz.com

[01:36:39] for use of their

[01:36:40] audio during the show.

[01:36:41] Tune in again

[01:36:42] next week

[01:36:43] for another episode

[01:36:44] of Fooz Talk Live.

[01:36:45] In the meantime

[01:36:46] we'll be back

[01:36:47] with another

[01:36:48] episode

[01:36:49] of Fooz Talk Live.

[01:36:50] In the meantime

[01:36:51] we'll see you

[01:36:52] at Foozin'.